Igor Anton Hernandez wins fourteen stage and Alberto Contador maintains his overall lead in 2011 Giro d’ltalia
Euskaltel-Euskadi team’s Igor Anton won the fourteen stage of the 2011 Giro d’latia stage race on Saturday, May 21.
The race started in Lienz and ended at Monte-Zoncolan. Igor Anton took a total of 5 hours, 4 minutes and 26 seconds to cover a total distance of 210 kilomteres.
The race leader, Alberto Contador, of Saxo-Bank Sungard was runner-up with 33 seconds behind Igor. Vincenzo Nibali of Liquigas-Cannondale was also in good form, but grabbed the third place with 40 second adrift.
Recently, the 28-year-old, Anton was overall in 3rd place in Vuelta a Castilla y Leon and also grabbed the fifth place in La Fleche Wallonne. He also won Subida Urkiola race in 2009.
In the first mountain of the race, the group of three riders made first break including, Matteo Rabottini of Farnese Vini and Neri Sottoli, Bram Tankink of Rabobank and Gianluca Brambilla of Colnago and CSF Inox. All of them gained the maximum advantage over peloton.
Matteo Rabottini tried his best to lead the bunch, but he failed and Gianluca took First Mountain. After few kilometres, the Italian rider, Gianluca Brambilla maintained his speed and won the second and third climb.
With 64.5 kilometres remaining the break advantage was down to nine minutes. Liquigas-Cannondale team’s Nibali gained two minutes and made exclusive moved in the front of the peloton.
In the last ten kilometres, Nibali followed the Contador and with the help of Saxo Bank-Grad's team Contador attacked the peloton. However, Anton had good legs and he maintained his speed in final four kilometres, by crossing the finish line ahead of Contador and Nibali.
Three times Tour de France champion, Alberto Contor remain his lead in the overall classification with the timing of 54 hours, 45 minutes and 45 seconds. Liquigas-Cannondale team’s Vincenzo Nibali was in second place with 3 minutes and 20 seconds behind Alberto.
The stage winner Igor Anton finished third place with the difference of three minutes and 21 seconds adrift.
The next stage will start in Conegliano and end in Gardeccia-Val di Fassa. All the riders will cover a distance of 229 kilometres.
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