The second week's buffet of stages ran the gamut from mountaintop finishes (3) to sprint stages (2) to medium mountain stages (technically 2, but one was indeed an uphill finish.) \u00a0The weather also ran the gamut from warm and sunny to frigid, rainy and even snowy at points. \u00a0The question remained, however: who would excel in the rough conditions and who would suffer?<\/p>\n

Stage 10:\u00a0Cordenons – Montasio 167 km<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first mountaintop finish of the Giro would surely be a good one, and it was where some teams had to re-evaluate their GC options. \u00a0Team Sky in particular came out swinging with the intention of gaining ground of the ever strengthening Nibali. \u00a0As usual, the break went clear only to be reeled in by the efforts of Sky. \u00a0Although the “freight train” methodology that Sky employed didn't have the desired effect of reducing Nibali to a groveling mass, it did succeed in shelling Hesjedal over the first climb of the day, causing him to slip out of the top 10. \u00a0As the final climb on the brutally steel Altopiano\u00a0ground on, Rigoberto Uran\u00a0attacked at 8km to go, setting things up for Wiggins. \u00a0However, Nibali didn't bite, and with the help of teammate Valerio Agnoli steadily closed the gap. \u00a0Continued attacks out of the Nibali group saw the gap continue to drop, just like the pink jersey's chain. \u00a0After a breathless moment, Nibali\u00a0managed to shift it back onto the rings and sprint through the group to take the 3rd place bonus seconds. \u00a0Wiggins managed to concede another minute to his rivals and Uran climbed into 4th place, only a second off his designated leader.<\/p>\n

Hmm…were things about the change at Sky?<\/p>\n

Stage 11:\u00a0Tarvisio – Vajont (Erto e Casso) 182 km<\/strong><\/p>\n

A medium mountain stage after the brutal Altopiano saw the GC favorites take a day off, with no attacks forthcoming. \u00a0Without the GC fireworks on a mountaintop finish (not nearly as brutal as the previous day's) a break was allowed to take the glory for the day. \u00a0Garmin Sharp managed to make up for the faltering Hesjedal by putting\u00a0Ramunas Navardauskas into the break. \u00a0A series of well timed and sharp attacks saw him come to the line first, giving him the biggest win of his career. \u00a0The GC remained unchanged.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stage 12: Longarone – Treviso 134 km<\/strong><\/p>\n

The shortest stage of the Giro was again marred by rain and cold weather. \u00a0British fans had a mixed day: Mark Cavendish racked up his 100th professional victory (the third of the 2013 Giro) but the rain and cold weather saw Wiggins distanced on the final descent. \u00a0When all was said and done, he was unable to hold the wheel of his domestiques and finished 3 minutes down on his countryman and former team mate. \u00a0This dropped him out of GC contention and again raised questions about the leadership of Sky shifting to Uran, who finished with the pink jersey group.<\/p>\n

After the stage, Team Sky released a report detailing the cold and chest infection that Wiggins was struggling with, and that poor health caused his poor performance. \u00a0His continued participation was left in doubt after the rainy, short sprint day.<\/p>\n

Stage 13: Busseto – Cherasco 254 km<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another flat stage, another win for Cavendish. \u00a0With that win he increased his lead in the points competition and tallied his fourth stage of this year's Giro. \u00a0But perhaps more noteworthy were the non-starts of both Wiggins and Hesjedal. \u00a0Both teams released statements commenting that their riders were headed home for tests and to recover and get healthy. \u00a0Hey Brad, are you going for the Tour this year? \u00a0Going to upset your teammate Froome (a la Armstrong\/Contador in 2009?)<\/p>\n