MONTE PETRANO, Italy -- Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre of Spain won the 16th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Monday, a grueling route made even tougher by 100-degree heat.
Denis Menchov of Russia kept the leader’s pink jersey. Levi Leipheimer was the day’s big loser, cracking on the final climb and dropping from third to sixth in the overall standings.
“I was not as strong as those guys, it’s plain and simple,” Leipheimer said. “It was hot for everyone. Today was the day that separated everyone and you see who’s strong and who’s not.”
Sastre was timed in 7 hours, 11 minutes, 54 seconds on over the 147-mile leg from Pergola to Monte Petrano. The stage featured three major climbs and ended with an uphill run.
“I knew I had a chance to do something today and I did,” said Sastre, who also won the most difficult stage in last year’s Tour, at Alpe d’Huez. “This was the toughest stage of this year’s Giro.”
Menchov was the runner-up, 25 seconds behind. Danilo di Luca of Italy was third, 26 seconds back. Menchov increased his lead over Di Luca to 39 seconds and Sastre moved into third overall, 2:19 back.
After a rest day Tuesday, competition resumes Wednesday with a 52-mile stage from Chieti to Blockhaus. The race ends Sunday with a short individual time trial in Rome.
Leipheimer finished 11th, 2:51 behind Sastre. The Montana rider is 3:21 behind Menchov and acknowledged he would have lost even more time if not for Lance Armstrong. The seven-time Tour winner was up ahead with the other favorites but dropped back to escort Leipheimer up most of the climb.
“I would have lost much, much more time. He saved me minutes and minutes,” Leipheimer said of Armstrong’s help. “You see the difference between a seven-time Tour winner like Lance. He was stronger and had to wait for me today. I just didn’t feel like I had it today.”
Armstrong is still regaining his form after 3 1/2 years of retirement and a broken collarbone in March. The Texan crossed 10th, directly in front of Leipheimer, and moved from 13th to 12th overall, 11:06 behind Menchov. After they stopped, Armstrong put his hand on Leipheimer’s shoulder and said, “Sorry, man.”
Armstrong is not speaking to reporters, but on his Twitter feed he called it one of the hardest stages he’s seen. He said Leipheimer had a tough day and “we tried to limit his losses.”
“Relentless climbing and oppressive heat. ... Hot days like this are always full of surprises,” Amstrong wrote.
Armstrong and Leipheimer’s Astana teammate Yaroslav Popovych were part of a large breakaway that rode ahead of the pack 1.2 miles into the stage.
Following a circuitous route in the central Marche region, the first major climb was to Monte Nerone. Then came Monte Catria and finally Monte Petrano.
Four riders led over the first climb: 2004 winner Damiano Cunego, Tirreno-Adriatico champion Michele Scarponi, Gabriele Bosisio and Popovych -- Armstrong and Leipheimer’s Astana teammate.
Popovych accelerated up the second climb and Cunego and Bosisio followed. Scarponi, whose jersey was torn in a crash early in the stage, dropped behind. Popovych attacked on the steep descent from Monte Catria and left Cunego and Bosisio behind to ride up the final climb alone.
Down the road in the pink jersey group, 2006 Giro winner Ivan Basso launched the first attack on the climb to Monte Petrano and only Sastre, Menchov and Di Luca could follow. Armstrong eventually caught the Basso-Sastre-Menchov-Di Luca group, but then looked over his shoulder toward Leipheimer and slowed to help his teammate.
Di Luca said his only chance of catching Menchov is if the Russian has a bad day.
“I still believe and I will until the end, but it depends on how Menchov reacts in the last two key stages,” Di Luca said, referring to the only uphill finishes remaining Wednesday and Friday.
Armstrong and Leipheimer took water bottles from fans and dumped water over their heads while Menchov cut holes in the side of his jersey to deal with the heat. The temperature at the base of the final climb measured 100 degrees. It fell toward the top of the climb, at Monte Petrano, with large crowds lining the road.
Sastre caught Popovych with 1.6 miles to go, and the Ukrainian finished 18th, 3:21 behind.
They told me on the radio that Sastre was coming really fast, chasing me. I didn’t want to believe it,” Popovych said. “When he finally passed me I lost all my strength.
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