Rogers wins Giro’s 11th Stage While Evans Retains Lead

AFP/Yuzuru Sunada

May 21, 2014 (AFP) – Australia’s Michael Rogers won the 11th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Wednesday as his compatriot Cadel Evans retained the leader’s pink jersey. Rogers, riding for the Tinkoff team, came home 10 seconds ahead of the pack at the end of the 249km ride from Collecchio to Savona after breaking clear on the final descent, 20km from the finish. Simon Geschke of Germany claimed second place in front of Italy’s Enrico Battaglin and Wilco Kelderman of the Netherlands.

For the 34-year-old Rogers, it was a first stage win in a Grand Tour and his first success since his return to the sport following a positive test for clenbuterol last year.Rogers had always claimed that his positive test was due to eating contaminated food and he was later cleared to return to racing by the International Cycling Union (UCI) in time to compete in the Liege-Bastogne-Liege classic in April.

His victory continues Australia’s fine record in this year’s Giro. The Orica-GreenEdge team won the opening stage team time trial and Michael Matthews triumphed on the sixth stage, while Matthews held the pink jersey from the second stage until it was seized by Evans after stage eight. Evans will now hope to extend his lead of 57 seconds down to Colombia’s Rigoberto Uran of the Omega Pharma team in Thursday’s 12th stage, a 41.9km individual time trial from Barbaresco to Barolo.

However, there were several falls on Wednesday’s stage, and Germany’s Fabian Wegmann was forced to abandon the race along with Luke Durbridge of Australia. Switzerland’s Steve Morabito, a team-mate of Evans, was also hurt but was
able to finish the stage.

Stage
1. Michael Rogers (AUS/TIN) 5hr 48min 07sec
2. Simon Geschke (GER/GIA) at 10sec
3. Enrico Battaglin (ITA/BAR) s.t.
4. Wilco Kelderman (NED/BKN) s.t.
5. Gianluca Brambilla (ITA/OPQ) s.t.
6. Moreno Moser (ITA/CAN) s.t.
7. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM) s.t.
8. Matteo Rabottini (ITA/NRI) s.t.
9. Fabio Duarte (COL/COL) s.t.
10. Alexis Vuillermoz (FRA/ALM) s.t.
11. Julian Arredondo (COL/TRE) s.t.
12. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) s.t.
13. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) s..t
14. Maxime Monfort (BEL/LTB) s.t.
15. José Herrada (ESP/MOV) s.t.
16. Paolo Tiralongo (ITA/AST) s.t.
17. Rigoberto Uran (COL/OPQ) s.t.
18. Sander Armee (BEL/LTB) s.t.
19. Franco Pellizotti (ITA/AND) s.t.
20. Alberto Losada (ESP/KAT) s.t.

Selected others: 38. Ivan Basso (ITA/CAN) at 10sec, 138. Nacer Bouhanni (FRA/FDJ) 18min 14sec, 155. Svein Tuft (CAN/ORI) s.t.DNS Michael Matthews (AUS/ORI)

Overall standings
1. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 48hr 39min 04sec
2. Rigoberto Uran (COL/OPQ) at 57sec
3. Rafal Majka (POL/TIN) 1min 10sec
4. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) 1:20
5. Steve Morabito (SUI/BMC) 1:31
6. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) 1:39
7. Wilco Kelderman (NED/BKN) 1:44
8. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 1:45
9. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/TRE) 1:49
10. Ivan Basso (ITA/CAN) 2:01
11. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC) 2:56
12. Wout Poels (NED/OPQ) 3:03
13. Maxime Monfort (BEL/LTB) 3:41
14. Alexis Vuillermoz (FRA/ALM) 4:25
15. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM) 4:30,
16. Matteo Rabottini (ITA/NRI) 4:36
17. Gianluca Brambilla (ITA/OPQ) 5:01
18. Hubert Dupont (FRA/ALM) 5:36
19. Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR/SKY) 5:42
20. Franco Pellizotti (ITA/AND) 5:46

Selected others
29. Michael Rogers (AUS/TIN) 12min 45sec