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United States | Midwest | Ohio >> Esteban Chaves wins Dolomites mountain stage 14 as Kruijswijk takes the lead

Esteban Chaves wins Dolomites Queen stage 14 as Kruijswijk takes the lead

Esteban Chaves (Orica GreebEdge) took the Queen stage of the Giro d'Italia, crossing the line just ahead of Steven Kruiswijk  (Lotton NL Jumbo and Georg Preidler (Giant-Alpecin)

Race leader Andrey Amador was dropped on the last climb including Valverde. Kruijwijk took the lead (Maglia Rosa). Nibali lost just over half a minute finishing 5th.

In the battle for the Blue Mountains jersey was Damiano Cunego (Nippo-Vini Fantini) took the first KOM points over the first big climb, the 2,239 m Passo Pordoi with Stefan Denifl (IAM Cycling) second.

With 44km to go Darwin Atapuma (BMC) and Kanstantin Siutsou caught lone breakaway leader Ruben Plaza Molina (Orica-GreenEDGE) on the 2,236m Passo Giau. 

On the Passo Giau, the peleton was trailing over 7 minutes. Astana came to the front for Nibali and upped the pace with 42 kms to go. Amador was dropped only to get back on the descent of the Gaiu. 

With 27 kms to go Nibali said farewell to his teammates and decided it was time to go with the gap now at 3m 23 seconds to the breakaaway. Kruiswijk and Chaves immediately followed but Amadar and Valverde were dropped. 

Meanwhile at the front Atapuma attacked Molina and Siutsou - on the threat of girlfriend going home if he didn't win the stage!

Kruiswijk sensed it was time to launch his attack after Nibali's and got a gap. Only Chaves bridged across. Nibali couldn't go again and was dropped.

Atapuma was caught by Kruiswijk, Chaves and Preidler. The 3 sprinted for the line and Chaves had one more match to burn - Kruiswijk and Preider were spent.

Tomorrow's stage 15 is an 11km uphill individual time trial, where the GC contenders will want to get back any time they can.

Can Valverde, Amador and Majka make up anything on Kruijswijk, Nibali and Chaves - or has the GC top 3 already been contested?

Stage 14 Results  

1 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-GreenEdge 6:06:16 
2 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo   
3 Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant-Alpecin   
4 Darwin Atapuma (Col) BMC Racing Team 0:00:06 
5 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:37 
6 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Dimension Data   
7 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Team Katusha 0:02:29 
8 Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff Team   
9 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:02:50 
10 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 0:03:00

General classification after stage 14

1 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 60:12:43 
2 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:00:41 
3 Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-GreenEdge 0:01:32 
4 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:03:06 
5 Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team 0:03:15 
6 Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff Team 0:03:29 
7 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Team Katusha 0:03:53 
8 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale Pro Cycling 0:05:01 
9 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Dimension Data 0:05:38 
10 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team   

 
Esteban Chaves wins Dolomites mountain stage 14 as Kruijswijk takes the lead