Giro d'Italia 1997 - 19 Falzes Rubiera

Giro d'Italia 1997 - 19, Predazzo-Falses, 222 km:
1. Jose Luis Rubiera (Spa) Kelme 7.00.02
2. Roberto Conti (Ita) Mercatone Uno 3.06
3. Giuseppe Guerini (Ita) Polti 3.06
4. Ivan Gotti (Ita) Saeco 3.08
5. Jose Jaime Gonzalez (Col) Kelme 3.08
6. Andrea Noe (Ita) Asics 3.33
7. Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Mercatone Uno 4.01
8. Pavel Tonkov (Rus) Mapei 4.03
9. Roberto Petito (Ita) Saeco 4.03
10. Dario Frigo (Ita) Saeco 4.03
11. Marcos Serrano (Spa) Kelme 4.03
12. Wladimir Belli (Ita) Brescialat 5.02
13. Dimitri Konyshev (Rus) Roslotto 5.39
14. Nicola Miceli (Ita) Aki 5.53
15. Francesco Secchiari (Ita) Scrigno 5.53
16. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Roslotto 5.53
17. Sergei Gontchar (Ukr) Aki 5.53
18. Giuseppe Di Grande (Ita) Mapei 5.53
19. Alexander Moos (Sch) Saeco 5.53
20. Torsten Schmidt (Ger) Roslotto 7.18
Overall
1. IVAN GOTTI (Ita) Saeco 86.20.35 (38,670 km/h)
2. PAVEL TONKOV (Rus) Mapei-GB + 1.32.
3. GIUSEPPE GUERINI (Ita) Team Polti) + 6.00
4. Miceli + 8.33;
5. Gontchar + 10.27
6. Di Grande + 11.04
7. Belli + 12.44
8. Serrano + 14.
9. Garzelli + 14.42
10. Rubiera + 15.09
Scandal & More info: autobus.cyclingnews.com/result...
Reports
Ivan Gotti sent Italian hopes soaring as he pushed his Giro d'Italia lead to one minute 32 seconds after a crash set back his chief rival, Pavel Tonkov.
The Russian chased for some 90 kilometres after falling on the rain-soaked descent from the Passo di Campolongo, the fourth of six passes on the 222-km route through the Dolomites from Predazzo.
He fought back from a minute behind to just 33 seconds, then fell away to 1:25​ before his final drive cut Gotti's advantage to 55 seconds at the finish.
Gotti raced home fourth, 3:08​ behind Spain's Jose Rubiera, who scored his first professional success with a solo of more than 25 kilometres.
``Hopefully this will open the door to a Tour de France ride for our team,'' said Rubiera. ``We are still waiting to hear if there is a place for us.''
Gotti said: ``I feel I can win the Giro but I cannot be certain. Tonkov is not 'dead' yet. Wearing the leader's pink jersey gives me a lot of morale. I am feeling more confident this year and the results prove it.
``If I have any nightmares they are about bad weather, Tonkov, and mountain descents.
``I knew about Tonkov's fall but I did not attack then. I just kept the same pace but when Giuseppe Guerini broke clear I followed him.''
Guerini took third behind fellow Italian Roberto Conti, and climbed to third overall, the position vacated by his French team mate Luc Leblanc.
Leblanc, his right thigh heavily bandaged from Wednesday's crash, quit 130 kilometres from the finish because of his injury.
Alexandre Shefer of Kazahkstan was fourth overnight, but he too pulled out because of crash injuries.
Although the field tackled the slippery mountain curves gingerly, there were several fallers, and a total of 21 retirements.
Tonkov, however, may be feeling jinxed. He won the Tour of Romandie three weeks ago with a fractured left hand, and in January broke his left wrist.
On Wednesday he had to make a last-minute swap of bikes before the time trial because his 'special' bike had an illegal component.

[@fernandolopez6761]

Jose Luis Rubiera era un corredor muy completo y gran compañero .. Siempre me quedará la duda de hasta donde podría haber llegado de no haberse quedado como el gran gregario que fue .. Aunque hay veces que no puedes hacer lo que quieres sino lo que debes ...