John Gadret wins eleventh stage, while Alberto Contador retains overall lead: 2011 Giro d’ltalia
AG2R La Mondiale team's John Gadret made late attack in the final kilometre of the 11th stage to clinch victory of 2011 Giro d’ltalia Tour. He took his first biggest win of his career in the 11th stage from Tortoreto to Castelfidardo, on Wednesday, May 18. Alberto
Contador retained his overall leader's pink jersey.
The 32-year-old, Gadret took total of 3 hours, 33 minutes and 11 seconds to cover the distance of 142 kilometres
In the last 200 metres, the Frenchman overtook Daniel Moreno of the Katusha team of an uphill end to break clear of the peloton.
Joaquim Rodriguez of the Katusha team was runner-up with the same timing as of Gadert. Giovanni Visconti was also in good form in the last kilometres, but grabbed the third position.
Previously, in 2010 Gadret came 13th overall in Giro d’ltalia and also took 16th place in the third stage. In 2008, he also won the first stage of Tour de l’Ain.
After winning the stage, Gadret dedicated his victory to Wouter Weylandt, said, "I thought all day of Wouter's funeral," he told the AFP news agency after the finish. Although I am not a Belgian, I had to win for him. Cycling is a big family. Since his death
I keep thinking about the crash. I wanted to do something to honour him, I am satisfied."
With 80 kilometres to go, the group of nine riders Le Mevel, Daniel Moreno, Marco Manzano, Valerio Agnoli, Fabio Taborre and Carlos Alberto Betancourt, Simone Stortoni, Steven Kruijswijk and Ignatas Konovalovas successfully escaped the race.
All of them were soon joined by the two cyclists, Tiago Machado and Lars Petter Nordhaug, to from 11-man break.
One of the riders in the break-away was Le Mevel, who came fourth place overall in the stage. The break-away riders gained advantage of two minutes.
In the last 10 kilometres, Daniel Moreno gained advantage and was joined by Ignatas Konovalovas, but both of them caught by the peloton. Gadret made his decisive attack and took lead ahead of the other riders.
Alberto Contador of the Saxo Bank-Sungard team retained his lead in the overall classification with the timing of 40 hours, 37 minutes and 51 seconds. HTC-High road team’s Kanstantsin Sivtsov was in second place with 59 seconds behind Alberto. Vincenzo Nibali
finished third with 1 minute and 21 seconds adrift.
The next stage will start in Castelfidardo and end in Ravenna. All the riders will cover the distance of 184 kilometres during the 12th stage.
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