May 27, 2005 — If Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery) was hoping to put a definitive nail in the coffin of the hopes of Gilberto Simoni (Lampre) and Jose Rujano (Selle Italia) in today’s 39km individual time trial, the mission was left unaccomplished. And while Savoldelli produced an excellent effort, finishing 4th on the stage only 23 seconds behind Ivan Basso (CSC), the stage winner and Giro hard-luck story, Simoni and Rujano remained within striking distance with plenty of climbing left in one of the most entertaining major tours in years.

Basso, who but for one ill stage has been the strongman throughout the Giro, beat Vladimir Karpets by nine seconds, with TT specialist David Zabriskie (CSC) 20 seconds back in third. Simoni was 10th, 1:34 down on the winning time but only 1:11 down on Savoldelli, while Rujano turned in a strong effort for the climbing specialist, losing 1:36 on Savoldelli.

Tomorrow’s 190km stage to Sestrieres, with three massive climbs on the menu, will be the decider.

Stage 18 results:
1. Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 45.05 (45.249 km/h)
2. Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Illes Balears 0.09
3. David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 0.20
4. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel-Pro Cycling Team 0.23
5. Dario David Cioni (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 0.28
6. Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) Domina Vacanze 0.40
7. Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1.02
8. Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 1.25
9. Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick.Step 1.28
10. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Caffita 1.34
11. Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner 1.36
12. Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 1.39
13. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 1.54
14. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 1.55
15. Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC 1.58
16. Jose’ Rujano Guillen (Ven) Selle Italia-Colombia 1.59
17. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 2.11
18. Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 2.12
19. Daniel Atienza Urendez (Spa) Cofidis-Le Credit Par Telephone 2.22
20. Marco Pinotti (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir 2.38

95. Michael Barry (Can) Discovery Channel-Pro Cycling Team 5.19


General classification after stage 18:
1. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel-Pro Cycling Team 82.10.18
2. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Caffita 2.09
3. Jose’ Rujano Guillen (Ven) Selle Italia-Colombia 3.00
4. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 3.08
5. Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 3.13
6. Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) Domina Vacanze 4.22
7. Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Illes Balears 6.30
8. Dario David Cioni (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 6.52
9. Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Credit Agricole 6.53
10. Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 8.21
11. Emanuele Sella (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare 9.21
12. Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner 10.36
13. Daniel Atienza Urendez (Spa) Cofidis-Le Credit Par Telephone 11.46
14. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Caffita 13.27
15. Wim Van Huffel (Bel) Davitamon-Lotto 13.49
16. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 13.59
17. Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Liberty Seguros-Wurth Team 14.23
18. Unai Osa Eizaguirre (Spa) Illes Balears 16.01
19. Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Phonak Hearing Systems 19.22
20. Ivan Parra (Col) Selle Italia-Colombia 22.18

98. Michael Barry (Can) Discovery Channel-Pro Cycling Team 2.33.29


Intermediate Splits:

8.7km
1. Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 9.51
2. David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 0.01
3. Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Illes Balears 0.06
4. Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) Domina Vacanze 0.09
5. Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 0.13
6. Dario David Cioni (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 0.14
7. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel-Pro Cycling Team 0.19
8. Jan Hruska (Cze) Liberty Seguros-Wurth Team 0.23
9. Rene’ Andrle (Cze) Liberty Seguros-Wurth Team
10. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Caffita 0.24

15.7km
1. Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 26.03
2. Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Illes Balears 0.26
3. David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 0.30
4. Dario David Cioni (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi
5. Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) Domina Vacanze 0.35
6. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel-Pro Cycling Team 0.44
7. Jose’ Rujano Guillen (Ven) Selle Italia-Colombia 0.53
8. Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 0.55
9. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Caffita 0.58
10. Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 0.59

22.9km
1. Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 33.47
2. Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Illes Balears 0.07
3. Dario David Cioni (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 0.18
4. David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC 0.21
5. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel-Pro Cycling Team 0.27
6. Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) Domina Vacanze 0.29
7. Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 0.48
8. Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 0.56
9. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Caffita 0.58
10. Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quick.Step 1.00