>> Giro d'Italia – Stage 17 (Pergine Valsugana – Caorle, 197 km), May 24, 2023. Stage winner, Italian rider Alberto Dainese.
Caorle (Italy) – Italian rider Alberto Dainese won a narrow sprint at the end of the 17th stage of the Giro d'Italia, during which the cyclists descended towards the Adriatic Sea. A member of the DSM team won the opening Grand Tour of the season almost exactly a year later, last year he won the 11th stage.
Advertisement'; }
Photo gallery: Giro d´Italia 2023
< img class="aligncenter" src="/wp-content/uploads/e699f3867e8816bbf72aa8c6128626a9.jpg" alt="The Italian Dainese won the spurt stage of the Giro three days ago in the Dolomites" />
< /p>
25-year-old Dainese beat compatriot Jonathan Milan and Australian Michael Matthews in the photo finish. Cyclists completed three demanding days in the mountains today between the towns of Pergine Valsugana and Caorle, 197 kilometers which were almost entirely downhill.
“In the last meters I really had to scramble. I was on the edge and I saw Johnny coming. I couldn't throw the bike to the finish because I didn't have the power anymore, but it's nice to manage a few centimeters in front of him and get win,” said Dainese, who comes from the Veneto region, where today's stage culminated. “I know every bump and hole in the road here,” he added.
The victory was all the more valuable to him because he had suffered the last few days. “I haven't been well for the last five days with stomach problems. Today was the first day I felt so-so, about 80 percent, so to win after suffering like that is crazy,” said the 2019 European Under-23 champion, when he also he won one stage on the Czech Tour.
With four stages to go, Briton Geraint Thomas is still leading, 18 seconds ahead of Portugal's Joao Almeida and 29 seconds ahead of Slovenia's Primož Roglič. “It was a crazy mass finish, luckily it didn't rain. We're all fine and ready for the next three stages,” said Thomas, who will celebrate his 37th birthday on Thursday. “Having the pink jersey on my birthday will be nice, I hope to keep it until (Sunday in) Rome,” added the Ineos Grenadiers team leader.
All the favorites and the debutant Karel Vacek finished in the main field, who was classified in the 64th position and overall he still belongs to the 95th place.
The first of three stages in the Dolomites awaits the cyclists on Thursday, which will determine the winner of the 106th. Giro year. The eighteenth stage culminates with the climb to the Val di Zoldo, there are five climbing premiums on 161 km.
Cycling race Giro d'Italia – 17th stage (Pergine Valsugana – Caorle, 197 km):
1. Dainese (It./DSM) 4:26:08, 2. Milan (It./Bahrain Victorious), 3. Matthews (Austr./Jayco-AlUla), 4. Bonifazio (It./Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), 5. Consonni (It./Cofidis), 6. Gaviria (Col./Movistar), …64. K. Vacek (CZ/Corratec-Selle Italia) all the same time.
Provisional order: 1. Thomas (Brit./Ineos Grenadiers) 71:58:43, 2. Almeida (Portug./SAE Team Emirates) -18, 3. Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma) -29, 4. Caruso (It./Bahrain Victorious) -2:50, 5. Dunbar (Ir./Jayco-AlUla) -3:03, 6. Kämna (German/Bora-hansgrohe) -3:20, …95. K. Vacek -2:56:19.
