The Russian isn't much of a climber, but he can clearly hang tough when he needs to for he had gotten to the top of that previous climb with what was left of his twelve man break and then on the final climb he was able to go up with enough pace to keep a gap that had only been increasing to the foot of the climb and once he went over that, there was no doubt the victory would be his.
Indeed, so impressive was his descending skills that he only would have needed to go over the top a mere ten seconds ahead of the man behind and he'd have left them behind on the way down.
That kind of riding takes supreme confidence, but if you have it then you can do some serious damage on a day when the rest are cornering timidly. Belkov stayed clear to the line winning what is sure to be one of the finest solo victories of this years Giro.
And talking of cornering timidly. If anyone was unsure as to what the weakness of Bradley Wiggins might be before this Giro, then they know longer need to question it. The man, as things stand, simply cannot go downhill when it's wet. His crash a few days ago shattered his confidence and that only carried into today. By the bottom of that second to last climb from which Belkov built his victory, Wiggins had lost a minute to his main rivals. It just goes to show how big a roll confidence plays in sport and how so much of it is mental as well as physical. If you don't have it between the ears, chances are it doesn't matter how strong you are in the legs.
Still, Wiggins was able to chase on once things levelled out and get back on terms with the main group ahead of the final climb. Disappointing for him that he had to exert that energy just making up lost time rather than building an advantage. It was much the same yesterday in the time-trial when he raced only to win back time he had lost on wet descents the day before.
But when all was said and done Wiggins didn't lose any time and remains just over a minute behind Vincenzo Nibali in the general classification. A man who did lose time however was Ryder Hesejdal.
The defending champion proved that while time could be lose on wet downhill sections it could be made up again easier than time lost on climbs. Hesjedal had no problem staying upright and in the mix when the road went downwards, but when it surged up on the final climb Hesjedal called for reserves from the power supply in his legs, and there was no response. Was he tired from the time-trial in which he also struggled, was this a sign that he didn't quite have the form we thought he did in the first week, or was it just a bad couple of days that with a rest day tomorrow he could find a way to recover.
So tomorrow they rest and then they hit the mountains.
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Amusing moment of the day:
If you started watching this race looking for a Wiggins - Hesjedal rivalry, or perhaps a Nibali - Evans one, then you were looking in all the wrong places. How about Robinson Chalapud and Stefano Pirazzi.
Both were in the days break and both clearly wanted the King of the Mountains points. When Pirazzi won the sprint to the top of one climb, Chalapud alleged that he cut him off and for a moment it seemed the two might come to blows on the descent. Then on the next climb the pair attacked one another relentlessly in a game of cat and mouse not seen since Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck in the Tour de France several years ago. Indeed, so determined where the pair to get one over the other that they came to a virtual stand-still on the road, with neither wanting to take up the pace.
By the top Pirazzi had finally distanced Chalapud, or so he thought. As he cruised to the top he looked over his shoulder only to suddenly see Chalapud closing fast desperate to spoil his party. Pirazzi accelerated and took the points, but what their little game allowed was for Belkov to remain in close contact behind so that by the time he went over the top he could pass them both and press on in the down hill to his famous victory.
