The National Times - Italy's Ganna wins time-trial in Giro shake-up

Italy's Ganna wins time-trial in Giro shake-up


Italy's Ganna wins time-trial in Giro shake-up
Italy's Ganna wins time-trial in Giro shake-up / Photo: © AFP

Italy's Filippo Ganna won the stage 10 time-trial at the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday, as overnight leader Afonso Eulalio clung on to the pink jersey.

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Eulalio now leads race favourite Jonas Vingegaard by just 27 seconds, an advantage that had been over six minutes when the Portuguese rider took control after last week's rain-lashed stage five.

Eulalio had led by over two minutes overnight but looked set to lose the pink jersey on Tuesday before rallying in the latter half of the long time-trial.

"I suffered, suffered and suffered," said Bahrain Victorious climber Eulalio. "But here I am still in the lead."

Ineos rider Thymen Arensman had a great day and climbed to third at 1min 57sec while Felix Gall dropped to fourth at 2min 24sec. Australian Ben O'Connor climbed to fifth at 2min 48sec.

The potentially decisive stage was held on a flat 42km coastal run between Viareggio and Massa on the Tuscan coast.

This was an eighth Giro stage win for Ganna, seven in the time-trial, and the 1min 52sec winning margin speaks for itself.

"This was built for me," said the former track specialist who like Tuesday's runner-up Arensman rides for Ineos. "This is the result of the work the team did this winter."

A picture-postcard run, the same route which often features on the Giro warm-up race the Tirreno-Adriatico, included two long, straight stretches meaning power rather than technique was the order of the day.

While Ganna's win was expected, so was the shake up in the overall standings with Jai Hindley and Gall losing time.

Wednesday's stage 11 is a hilly affair with Eulalio tipped to keep the overall lead as far as the weekend mountain stages.

N.Roberts--TNT