Giro 2014: Enrico Battaglin wins in Oropa, Quintana best GC man

The 164 kilomtres ride is a tribute to Marco Pantani. The finish is in magical Oropa after a magical race. Enrico Battaglin takes a long escape to victory and Nairo Quintana takes seconds from all his competitors, including Uran, who is having a hard time today. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 14th stage Giro 2014

1. Enrico Battaglin (ita)
2. Dario Cataldo (ita) s.t.
3. Jarlinson Pantano (col) + 0.02
4. Jan Polanc (slo) + 0.17
5. Nicolas Roche (Ire) + 0.22
6. Albert Timmer (Nld) + 0.26
7. Emanuele Sella (ita) + 0.28
8. Mattia Cattaneo (ita) + 0.33
9. Tim Wellens (bel) +0.39
10. Ivan Santaromita (ita) + 0.54

14. Pierre Rolland (fra) + 2.26
15. Nairo Quintana (col) + 2.39
16. Fabio Aru (ita) + 2.43
17. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) s.t.
18. Wilco Kelderman (Nld) + 2.47
19. Rafal Majka (pol) s.t.
20. Wout Poels (Nld) + 2.59
21. Cadel Evans (aus) s.t.
22. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 3.04

GC after stage 14
1. Rigoberto Urán (col)
2. Cadel Evans (aus) + 0.32
3. Rafal Majka (pol) + 1.35
4. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) + 2.11
5. Wilco Kelderman (Nld) + 2.33
6. Nairo Quintana (col) + 3.04
7. Fabio Aru (ita) + 3.16
8. Wout Poels (Nld) + 4.01
9. Pierre Rolland (fra) + 5.07
10. Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) + 5.13

Stage Report

A group of 21 riders break free early in the race. Belgian Tim Wellens takes most mountain points along the way and closes in on mountain leader Arredondo. At the foot at the closing climb to Oropa Dutchman Albert Timmer is solo upfront.

At the penultimate Bielmonte climb Rolland and Hesjedal escape the pack eyeing the stage win. But they don’t succeed.

The climb to Oropa is e sp[ectacle from bottom to top. Timmers holds on strong, but in the last kilometre he is accompanied by Pantano and Cataldo. Looks like one of those two will take the stage win when in the last 500 metres out of nowhere Enrico Battaglin pops up. In the battle of exhausted sprinters he is the victor.

Halfway the climb Pozzovivo attacks in the pack. The only strong enough to react straightaway is Quintana with Kelderman coming closer but never really closing the gap. In the final metres Quintana underlines his ambition to win this Giro and takes valuable seconds from all his competitors.