Filippo Pozzato became the first Italian rider to win a non-team stage on this year’s Giro d’Italia on Thursday as the sun finally shone and tempers boiled over.
The Team Katusha rider, the Italian national champion, just edged out Thomas Voeckler in a thrilling sprint finish on stage 12 with Australian Richie Porte hanging on to the leader’s pink jersey for Saxo Bank.
Driving rain on Wednesday led to a huge turnaround in the overall placings with Porte taking charge and previous leader Alexander Vinokourov sliding down the standings after being caught in a slow group as the weather-beaten peloton split.
PHOTO: AFP
World champion Cadel Evans, who had been second overall, was also punished by Wednesday’s events and his frustration was plain to see on the 206km uncomplicated stage from Citta Sant’Angelo to Porto Recanati on central Italy’s east coast.
The BMC rider argued with other riders about the lack of pace at the front of the pack late on and gesticulated wildly.
The stage lead had changed hands numerous times amid an array of breakouts but the main block of riders was never far behind.
PHOTO: AFP
However, an exciting climax did ensue with Pozzato timing his burst just right having already had a good look at the finish during an earlier loop through Porto Recanati.
“I’m very happy, it’s what we needed. We had to have a stage like this after yesterday,” Pozzato told reporters. “The last week will be spectacular and it won’t be over till it’s over.”
Unheralded Porte’s overall lead from Spain’s David Arroyo is one minute, 42 seconds.
A raft of riders quit the race after Wednesday’s extremely tough outing, one of a number of demanding and wet stages already this year, but the pain is not over yet with two big mountain tests due this weekend.
Yesterday’s 13th stage was a 223km trip from Porto Recanati to Cesenatico.
The three-week race ends in Verona on May 30.
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