Giro d'Italia 1998 - 19, Cavalese - Plan di Montecampione, 239 kms:
1. PANTANI MARCO ITA MERCATONE UNO 7.42.52 (31.5)
2. TONKOV PAVEL RUS MAPEI - BRICOBI 0.57
3. GUERINI GIUSEPPE ITA TEAM POLTI 3.16
4. SECCHIARI FRANCESCO ITA SCRIGNO - GAERNE 4.04
5. CLAVERO DANIEL ESP VITALICIO SEGUROS 4.04
6. DE PAOLI DANIELE ITA ROS MARY - AMICA CHIPS 4.16
7. CAMENZIND OSKAR SUI MAPEI - BRICOBI 5.43
8. MICELI NICOLA ITA RISO SCOTTI - MG MAGLIF. 5.44
9. GONZALES 'CHEPE' JOSE. JAIME COL KELME 5.46
10. BETTINI PAOLO ITA ASICS - CGA 5.48
11. FARESIN GIANNI ITA MAPEI - BRICOBI 6.16
12. BUENAHORA HERMAN COL VITALICIO SEGUROS 7.25
13. SAVOLDELLI PAOLO ITA SAECO - CANNONDALE 7.49
14. SGAMBELLURI ROBERTO ITA BRESCIALAT - LIQUIGAS 7.58
15. PODENZANA MASSIMO ITA MERCATONE UNO 7.58
16. GOUGOT FABRICE FRA CASINO 8.37
17. FAUSTINI STEFANO ITA VINI CALDIROLA - LONGONI 9.09
18. MISSAGLIA GABRIELE ITA MAPEI - BRICOBI 9.24
19. GONTCHAR SERGUEI UKR CANTINA TOLLO - ALEXIA 10.48
20. LANFRANCHI PAOLO ITA MAPEI - BRICOBI 12.45
21. VELO MARCO ITA MERCATONE UNO - BIANCHI 12.45
22. PIEPOLI LEONARDO ITA SAECO - CANNONDALE 12.45
23. FRIGO DARIO ITA SAECO - CANNONDALE 13.20
24. MOLLER CLAUS MICHAEL DEN TVM - FARM FRITES 13.42
25. NOE' ANDREA ITA ASICS - CGA 14.10
26. LEBLANC LUC FRA TEAM POLTI 14.28
27. PICCOLI MARIANO ITA BRESCIALAT - LIQUIGAS 15.15
28. CONTI ROBERTO ITA MERCATONE UNO - BIANCHI 15.50
29. RUBIERA J.LUIS ESP KELME - COSTA BLANCA 16.18
30. APARICIO VICENTE ESP VITALICIO SEGUROS 17.44
GC after Stage 19:
1. PANTANI MARCO ITA MERCATONE UNO - BIANCHI 91.31.26
2. TONKOV PAVEL RUS MAPEI - BRICOBI 1.28
3. GUERINI GIUSEPPE ITA TEAM POLTI 5.11
4. CAMENZIND OSKAR SUI MAPEI - BRICOBI 11.32
5. MICELI NICOLA ITA RISO SCOTTI - MG MAGLIF. 14.23
6. CLAVERO DANIEL ESP VITALICIO SEGUROS 16.15
7. BETTINI PAOLO ITA ASICS - CGA 19.10
8. FARESIN GIANNI ITA MAPEI - BRICOBI 24.17
9. DE PAOLI DANIELE ITA ROS MARY - AMICA CHIPS 26.01
10. GONTCHAR SERGUEI UKR CANTINA TOLLO - ALEXIA 26.28
Stage 19 Brief
Marco Pantani profitted in the last mountain stage in the Dolomites and made advances on his rival, the Russian rider Pavel Tonkov in the GC. The small Italian climber won the 19th stage, over 239 kms between Cavalese and Plan di Montecampione, relegating Tonkov to 2nd place at 57 seconds and his compatriat Giuseppe Guerini to 3.13.
He know has 1.28 on Tonkov and 5.11 on Guerine, and then Alex Zulle, who has ceased to be a threat in this race. Zulle dominated the ITT last Saturday but has found it very difficult in the mountains. On Thursday he was dropped on the first col. At the summit of Goletto di Cadino, with 60 kms to go he was 7.30 from the leaders. By the time he arrived at the finish he was an agonising 30.03 down on Pantani.
Marco Pantani, in start contrast, was on fire. He won the maillot rose on Tuesday for the first time in his career. The "elephant" has justified his reputation as an explosive climber. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Guerini then Tonkov have been able to stay with him and to ultimately go on to win the stage. But on Thursday on the final climb up Plan di Montecampione, "the pirate" left them for dead. His attack was irresistable.
Only Tonkov, always alone, was able to limit the damage, and he conceded on the last 2 kms from the summit and lost around a minute. The Russian, winner of the 1996 Giro and second last year, is the only one left who can stop Pantani from his final victory, the GC in Milan on Sunday. With 1.28 down, he has some chances of taking the maillot rose during the ITT over 34 kms on Saturday between Mendrisio and Lugano.
