Before the start of stage 16 to the summit of Monte Petrano, the 2009 Giro d'Italia seemed a three-rider race between leader Denis Menchov, former leader Danilo Di Luca and Levi Leipheimer.
After a long, hot day in the saddle, there are still three riders - but now Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre has replaced Levi Leipheimer as the outside threat.
The little Spaniard only gained 33 seconds (25 plus eight seconds difference in time bonuses) but it combined with other people?s losses, and lifted him to third behind Menchov at 2-19 and above Liquigas pair Franco Pellizotti and Ivan Basso, who are at 3-08 and 3-19 respectively. Di Luca is still second at 39 seconds.
Sastre is quiet and laid back but just like on the stage to l?Alpe d?Huez, where he set up victory in the Tour de France, he showed his cojones on the slopes of Monte Petrano.
?I always like to have surprise factor on my adversaries, so that I can do something like that,? he said of his attack.
?I didn?t know what was going to happen but I saw that Menchov and Basso looked good, and that Di Luca as always combative. But I was motivated, I had to try again and again and then fight to make an opening. That?s what I did. I didn?t think about it too much. The opportunity was there, I had to try to take the maximum advantage of the situation.?
"I was suffering but when you overcome it all and it works, it?s a huge satisfaction when you cross the line.?
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?Menchov has demonstrated that he?s strong and his Rabobank team is going well. He?s the favourite for the Giro but the final week is hard and it?s going to be hot, fast and steep. The Giro isn?t over yet.?
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Giro d'Italia 2009 links
Stage reports
Stage 16: Sastre wins stage to Monte Petrano
Stage 15: Bertagnolli gifted stage win by Cervelo mix-up
Stage 14: Gerrans solos to win
Stage 13: Cavendish takes his third Giro win and prepares to head home
Stage 12: Menchov storms to Giro TT win and race lead
Stage 11: Cavendish romps to second Giro stage win
Stage 10: Di Luca lays down the gauntlet
Giro rest day review (May 18)
Stage nine: Cavendish blitzes rivals to win in Milan
Stage eight: Siutsou makes it two in a row for Columbia-Highroad
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