TAPPA 14 Giro d'Italia 2013

Tappa 14 Giro d'Italia 2013

Once again the weather

Takes a leading role

 snow on the Sestriere

because it's freezing cold

has caused the organizers

to cancel  that climb

The safety of the riders

Coming first this time

Nibali's  still Pink

protected as you'd think

The live feed interrupted

By the steady rain

 Most riders seem happy 

to be spared the pain

of a frigid descent

with low visibility

Most applaud the move

as a taste of civility

As athletes they're men of steel

But still flesh and bone--

let's keep it real

Battaglin crashed with a broken collar bone

A stage winner he will now head home

Strategies may have to change

 RCS can't control the rain

The break at 75 K

is over nine minutes

None of those men

are GC in it

Uran is now leader

Of the Sky Team

How he acquits himself

remains to be seen

David Millar's gone

Another G-Sharp blow

A lot of disappointments

in their Giro

With the Tour de France

'most six weeks away

several have decided

To ride another day

I am also tempted

to brew some morning gold

since the live feed

has been put on hold

20 minutes later

sipping a fine brew

I can report nothing new

Oh, tomorrows' big hill

the Galibier 

by foul weather

has been swept away

At 45 km we're still in the dark

The break is looking likely

nine minutes up

one of those four

may drink a winning cup

Now it's down to five

with  15 still to climb

Who will mount the Jafferau?

We'll know in time

We hear Sky is leading the group

With no copters flying

it's hard to get the poop

How clever of me to grab

La prima colazione

With no live feed

there is no need 

to be hungry 

as well as lonely

8 KM and over 4

The break sees an open door

Nibali and Evans are still in the pack

We hear Pellizotti has made an attack

Our visuals are back to black

The break is finally pulling back

Santambrogio attacks

Nibali on his wheel

Santambrogio wins it

How great they both must feel

Nibali did not contest

taking the points on bonus

Gesink sinks he's off the pod

Nibali ranks this Giros' god

And here's the GC after today's stage:

Nibali and Santambrogio are the big winner of the day.

General classification after stage 14 

1 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 57:20:52

2 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:01:26

3 Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling 0:02:46

4 Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia 0:02:47

5 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-Merida 0:03:53

6 Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol) Lampre-Merida 0:04:55

7 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 0:05:02

8 Rafal Majka (Pol) Team Saxo-Tinkoff 0:05:32

9 Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) AG2R La Mondiale 0:05:39

10 Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team 0:05:41