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| 2nd STAGE - SAN DAMIANO MACRA - LA CONDAMINE (FRANCE) - JULY 23rd, 2007 | II stage - 23/07/2007 – From San Damiano Macra (CN) to La Condamine - F Iron Bike passes in France. Wonderful stage, with 4 mountains to climb. Sensational fight between Sibl and Nieto. For a mere 3 minutes Sibl is today’s white jersey.
THE TRIAL
1 SPECIAL from Chiappera (CN) to Maljasset (F) – transferring track to La Condamine (F).
120 km total length
8 hrs imposed time
12 hrs maximum time
Wake up at 5,30 and start at 7. Iron Bike enters France and arrives to la Condamine. Wonderful stage with mild weather (colder, at the end of day).
The head of the range (4 riders) started last, one each minute. Today, the Special Trial (PS) is very short: up and down the Col Maurin ( 2630 m). After the Col Maurin there’s a long transferring ride to La Condamine, riding up and down the Col de Vars (2117m), Col du Jaffeuil (2503m) and the though Tunnel du Parpaillon (2630m).
During the ST, both Sibl and the Brasilian rider Hugo Prado Nieto start very fast. Sibl, however, is more accustomed to high climbing and after few minutes, he leaves alone.
Nieto and Italian Mauro Pellegrino decide to keep on their own pace, but at the end of the ST, right after the Col Maurin, they will both come close to Sibl. So, until the Col du Vars, they all ride together, shortly followed by Miroslav Janotav (3rd in the range).
Temperatures start to diminish: on the wheel cabin that drives the athletes up to Col du Jaffeuil, the Brasilian rider is cold and dehydrated.
Sibl immediately takes advantage of the situation and faces, at faster pace, the steep downhill to La Chalp (7 km by feet, cause the French regulations do not allow the use of the bicycle!).
They climb up to the Tunnel of Parpaillon (about 800 m long, cold and with rough ground made of pounds and rocks).
10 minutes after Sibl, the brasilian arrives to the Tunnel. He stops for few seconds, time to wear a cover cause his body is almost rigid for the cold wind (10 C).
After him, Italian rider Mauro Pellegrino is fighting with Czeck rider Janotav Miroslav. Pellegrino has a small technical problem during the downhill but he’s still able to get the head of the race.
Sibl will finish the stage at the first place (and he’s the only rider to finish the race within the imposed time). Nieto gets the 2nd place but for a few minutes. 3rd place for Italian rider Mauro Pellegrino.
At present (8 pm) the official range hasn’t been published yet, because not all the riders arrived to La Condamine, but it is quite probable that the other categories didn’t change, while the head of the race is settled as above.
As a note: applause to the French tandem team that after the stage was obliged to abandon the race, for a technical problem. They trained so hard! And were defeated by the brakes (two sets has been changed since the beginning of the IB!).
Tomorrow, Iron Bike comes back to Italy arriving to Barge (CN) were a big party will give new energies to the riders…
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