Erik Zabel misses podium by centimeters
Photo: courtesy Wim Dingemanse
Photo: courtesy Wim Dingemanse
MILRAM captain Erik Zabel missed the podium by centimeters in the Giro d'Italia's 17tn stage. The 37 year-old sprinted to fourth place on the Giro's shortest stage, 146 km from Sondrio to Locarno. The stage win went to Andre Greipel of Team High Road ahead of his teammate Mark Cavendish and Daniele Bennati (Liquigas).
„I started the sprint too far back and the last meters were too short to let me come up to the front,“ MILRAM captain Erik Zabel said. „Today the sprint started before the last curve. In this long sprint I could feel the effects of the last few stages.“
A group around Mikhail Ignatiev made the break of the day in the 17th stage, as of km 10, requiring the sprinter teams to go full gas. The pro from Team Tinkoff separated from his final fellow escapee, Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre) with 22 km to go and doggedly held on to his lead. He was finally caught 4 km before the finish and the mass sprint was on.
The 18th stage on Thursday, May 29, runs over 147 km from Mendrisio to Varese. The rolling terrain at the start will encourage a breakaway. Only after 42 km does it become flat and even descending. The only ranked climb is in Brinzio, at 90 km, and the peloton reaches the finish town of Varese only 25 km later. But they have to first ride two rounds of a rolling course before the day's winner is known.
Misschien ook interessant:
