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Roger Kluge (IAM Cycling) has taken out Stage 17 of the Giro d’Italia, coming from the peloton to upstage the riders more well known for their sprinting ability.
In what was essentially a rest day on wheels during the punishing third week of the Giro d’Italia, there would be no changes to the general classification and nearly no arguments over the make up of the day’s breakaway.
In fact the three riders the formed the move – Daniel Oss (BMC), Eugert Zhupa (Southeast) and Pavel Brutt (Tinkoff) – were away almost as soon as the flag dropped and quickly built their lead to a maximum advantage of six minutes.
The peloton though, led by both Lampre and Trek Segafredo were unwilling to let the breakaway waltz away with the stage and made sure their gap remained between two and four minutes for much of the stage.
With the gap dipping inside of a minute during the final 30 kilometres and just after the second intermediate sprint on course, it would be over to another three men to go up the road and try to bridge to the front of the race which they eventually achieved.
The new riders who went away were:
Lars Bak (Lotto-Soudal), Maxim Belkow (Katusha) and Ignatas Konovalovas (FDJ).
The group of six would work strongly together, taking their gap from a mere matter of seconds, back out beyond half a minute and for a brief period of time it was panic stations in the peloton.
However, the catch would be made in the final kilometre, with Roger Kluge putting in a fantastic sprint to the line ahead of red jersey and favourite Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo).
Top 5
1. Roger Kluge (IAM Cycling) @ 4:32:29
2. Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) + 0:00
3. Nikias Arndt (Giant-Alpecin) + 0:00
4. Sacha Modolo (Lampre-Merida) + 0:00
5. Matteo Trentin (Etixx-QuickStep) + 0:00
Top 5 general classification
1 Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNl-Jumbo) @ 68:11:49
2 Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEdge) + 3:00
3 Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) + 3:23
4 Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) + 4:43
5 Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) + 4:50
Stage 17 of the 2016 Giro d’Italia is almost a rest day on wheels for the peloton, as they take on the 170-kilometre trek from Molveno to Cassano D’adda. Join The Roar for live coverage from 10:30pm (AEST).
After another punishing day in the mountains yesterday, Steven Kruijswijk (Lotto NL-Jumbo) extended his overall lead to a massive three minutes over Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEDGE).
Today won’t be for the general classification though, with only one categorised climb and an almost pancake-flat last 70 kilometres.
Starting in Molveno, the stage is almost entirely downhill for about 20 kilometres, meaning it will be a fast and potentially dangerous start, especially with a chance of rain thrown in.
With the breakaway a massive chance to take today’s stage, the early pace will be up, as riders from teams who haven’t had a great Giro – or still have something to prove – fight for spots out in front.
From there it will go back uphill for about 17 kilometres, at first on a gradual false flat, before an uncategorised five-kilometre climb to Bondo. It will then be lumpy, but generally downhill, to the Category 4 Passo Sant’Eusebio, which is about five kilometres and very gradual.
Following the descent it’s flat and there are no real gremlins in the finish line, aside from a 90-degree right-hand turn with just 500 metres to go.
After some of the flat finishes we have had so far on the Giro though, this is about as easy as they come.
With a majority of the sprinters having left the race, and the GC teams being more than likely content to let a breakaway go clear, the pressure is on Giacomo Nizzolo and his Trek squad, along with Matteo Trentin (Etixx) and Sacha Modolo (Lampre) to drive the pace.
All three are Italian and a stage win on home soil would mean everything, but it is hard to see it happening. Three teams against a fired up breakaway with no assistance from the GC teams, who are resting ahead of three days in the mountains?
The odds are stacked against the sprinters here.
Prediction
If the right breakaway gets up the road they will take the stage, otherwise it might be Modolo’s time to shine.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Stage 17 from 10:30pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde