UAE Team Emirates captain Rui Costa claimed second on Stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia on Wednesday, with teammate Simone Petilli also finishing inside the top 10.
Costa, the reigning Abu Dhabi Tour champion, completed the 161 kilometre Firenze to Bagno Di Romagna stage in four hours, 23 minutes and 14 seconds, narrowly missing out to stage winner Omar Fraile of Team Dimension Data. France’s Pierre Rolland of Cannindale-Drapac completed the top three.
With over 4,000 metres of climbing on the stage, the attacks came thick and fast but mountain man Fraile seized the day.
He managed to join Team Sky rider Mikel Landa in a two-man breakaway and when they were eventually reeled in by a counter-attacking group containing Costa, the Spaniard did well to keep some powder dry.
Their three-man lead group increased to four in the final kilometres when Tanel Kangert (Astana) tagged along with less than two kilometres remaining.
The Estonian launched a bid for stage victory in the final kilometre and, for a brief moment, it looked like the four leaders would be thwarted when the peloton came over the horizon with 400 metres to race.
But Fraile, 26, countered, driving for the finish inside the final 200 metres to cross the line in triumph.
“It was important that we joined a breakaway today and I worked really hard to be able to achieve that,” Costa said. “I tried my best to pursue the attack and win, however towards the end I was exhausted.
“I guess I am a bit disappointed that I didn’t manage to win the stage especially after being so close. But it’s OK, the Giro is a long race and there are more stages to come that will surely provide similar opportunities. The most important thing for now is to remain focused and do our very best.”
Tom Dumoulin retained the pink jersey after the Dutchman and his Sunweb team were pushed all the way before he maintained his overall race lead of two minutes, 23 seconds on Nairo Quintana of Movistar.
Italy’s two-time and defending champion Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain), who saw teammate Franco Pellizotti crash but get back on his bike, remains fifth overall at 2:47 as the contenders for the “maglia rosa” look forward to two days of comparative rest on stages 12 and 13, which are more suited to sprinters.
Stage 11 Results
1. Omar Fraile (Dimension Data): 04:23:14
2. Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates) ...
3. Pierre Roland (Cannondale — Drapac Pro Cycling Team) ...
8. Simone Petilli (UAE Team Emirates) ...
General Classification after Stage 11
1. Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb): 47:22:07
2. Nairo Quintana (Movistar): 0:02:23
3. Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo): 0:02:38
15. Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates)
* Agencies
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