Giro d'Italia Stage 17: Crosara Thwarts Sprint Hopes
Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team worked at the front for most of the 214km Stage 17 of Giro d'Italia on Wednesday, but unfortunately, the 5.3km Crosara climb (average gradient 6.8%, max ramp 12%) proved to be too much for almost all sprinters in the peloton.
A select group emerged, and the race was once again decided by the GC favorites of the field. OPQS put four riders in front of sprinter Mark Cavendish in hopes of pacing him back for the flat finish, but the tempo in the elite group ahead was simply too high to close the gap.
Giovanni Visconti (Movistar Team) attacked out of a breakaway of three riders with less than 17km to go, and after a technical descent, he rode away for the solo victory. Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Sharp) was 2nd, Luka Mezgec (Argos-Shimano) was 3rd.
Cavendish kept the points jersey by 4 points.
OPQS looks next to a 20.6km time trial on Thursday.
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