Michael Rogers claimed stage 11 of this year’s Giro d’Italia, after executing a daring attack on the descent of the final climb to Savona today.
The Australian rider finished 10 seconds ahead of the chase, with Simon Geschke (Team Giant-Shimano) and Enrico Battaglin (Bardiani-CSF) following in second and third place.
Today’s victory marked Rogers’ first win since returning to the sport after being sidelined for testing positive for Clenbuterol last autumn.
Race Highlights
Rogers attacked along the technical descent to Savona- quickly establishing a 40 second lead over the chase.
From there, Giant Shimano and Trek Factory racing took up the pursuit. However, BMC later came to the front, and subsequently slowed the pace. This in turn, gave Rogers the impetus he needed to continue riding clear, while at the same ensuring BMC’s Cadel Evans a stronghold on the overall race lead.
"It was a great opportunity for me and I was able to take advantage of it. It was a spur of the moment decision. I saw on top of the climb that all the contenders of the GC were looking at each other, and the possibility opened up and I took it,” Rogers told the press after his win.
Cadel Evans remains in the maglia rosa, with a 57-second lead over Rigoberto Uran (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and a 1:10 advantage over Rafal Majka (Tinkoff).
The Giro continues tomorrow with stage 12 – a 42 kilometer individual time trial from Barbaresco to Barolo.
In other race news, Garmin-Sharp’s Fabian Wegmann crashed in the first half of today’s stage and was forced to abandon the race. Team Garmin-Sharo later confirmed the extent of the German’s injuries.
“Fabian Wegmann suffered a complete tear of the hamstrings in his left leg during today’s Giro stage,” the statement reads. “He underwent imaging at a local hospital and team medical staff is currently arranging an orthopedic surgical follow up for him in Germany, close to his home.”
AUS 1 ROGERS, Michael (TINKOFF-SAXO) 5:48:07 GER 2 GESCHKE, Simon (GIANT-SHIMANO) + 10 ITA 3 BATTAGLIN, Enrico (BARDIANI CSF) NED 4 KELDERMAN, Wilco (BELKIN) ITA 5 BRAMBILLA, Gianluca (OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP) ITA 6 MOSER, Moreno (CANNONDALE) CAN 7 HESJEDAL, Ryder (GARMIN SHARP) ITA 8 RABOTTINI, Matteo (NERI SOTTOLI) COL 9 DUARTE AREVALO, Fabio Andres (COLOMBIA) FRA 10 VUILLERMOZ, Alexis (AG2R LA MONDIALE) COL 11 ARREDONDO MORENO, Julian David (TREK FACTORY RACING) ITA 12 CUNEGO, Damiano (LAMPRE – MERIDA) AUS 13 EVANS, Cadel (BMC RACING) BEL 14 MONFORT, Maxime (LOTTO BELISOL) ESP 15 HERRADA LOPEZ, José (MOVISTAR) ITA 16 TIRALONGO, Paolo (ASTANA) COL 17 URAN URAN, Rigoberto (OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP) BEL 18 ARMEE, Sander (LOTTO BELISOL) ITA 19 PELLIZOTTI, Franco (ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI) ESP 20 LOSADA ALGUACIL, Alberto (KATUSHA)
General Classification after Stage 11 AUS 1 EVANS, Cadel (BMC RACING) 48:39:04 COL 2 URAN URAN, Rigoberto (OMEGA PHARMA – QUICK-STEP) + 57 POL 3 MAJKA, Rafal (TINKOFF-SAXO) + 1:10 ITA 4 POZZOVIVO, Domenico (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 1:20 SUI 5 MORABITO, Steve (BMC RACING) + 1:31 ITA 6 ARU, Fabio (ASTANA) + 1:39 NED 7 KELDERMAN, Wilco (BELKIN) + 1:44 COL 8 QUINTANA ROJAS, Nairo Alexander (MOVISTAR) + 1:45 CRO 9 KISERLOVSKI, Robert (TREK FACTORY RACING) + 1:49 ITA 10 BASSO, Ivan (CANNONDALE) + 2:01
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