Sky’s Giro Attempt Looking Good

Apr 24, 2015 – A gorgeous fourth stage from Malè to Cles (won by Italian Paolo Tiralongo) made the curtain fall on 39th Giro del Trentino Melinda. Aussie Richie Porte ruled over the field to ensue Cadel Evans in the event’s list of honor after four days of perfect job managed by Team Sky.

Giro del Trentino/Foto Mosna

Porte’s victory means a solid bid to upcoming Giro d’Italia as a matter of fact: “It was a great win on the way to the Giro – the Tasmanian proudly stated – this is the definitive event to reach the start of the pink race start in a perfect shape… I still remember what Vincenzo Nibali did here in Trentino two years ago… Every day I was feeling better and better, now I can stay recharge my batteries a bit and focus on the next goal for a couple of weeks. It wasn’t easy to secure the overall win, as we faced a grueling final day with really no room for rest. I wish to praise my teammates, they all made everything much easier for me”.

Giro del Trentino Melinda gathered an all-foreign podium rounded off by Spaniard Mikel Landa (Astana) and Czech Leopold Konig (Team Sky) with 22” and 58” delay from Porte respectively.

Team Astana softened the disappointment for Fabio Aru’s late scratch, as Landa was Porte’s main opponent and veteran Tiralongo took the last stage by outspirinting Spaniard David Arroyo and Colombian Fabio Duarte, after taking part in a breakaway that marked the second half of the race. After the Fondo and Predaia Pass climbs, Fabio Duarte made a bold move by taking the lead alone, followed closely by Tiralongo and Arroyo.

It was a close challenge between the three frontrunners, and in the end Tiralongo managed wisely the final kilometres, making the most of his sprinting skills to see off the fellow climbers. “It was an important win – Tiralongo said – for the whole Astana team, as it demostrates we remained calm and focus even going through everything that happened over the last weeks and months. It is now time to move our complee attention to the Giro, hoping Fabio Aru will be able to recovery soon and for good.”

Results Stage 4
ITA 1 TIRALONGO, Paolo (ASTANA) 3:58:07
ESP 2 ARROYO DURAN, David (CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA)
COL 3 DUARTE AREVALO, Fabio Andres (COLOMBIA)
ITA 4 BISOLTI, Alessandro (NIPPO – VINI FANTINI) + 37
FRA 5 PERAUD, Jean-Christophe (AG2R LA MONDIALE)
ITA 6 ZILIOLI, Gianfranco (ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI)
ITA 7 PETILLI, Simone (ITALY NATIONAL) + 39
ESP 8 TXURRUKA, Amets (CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA) + 49
ITA 9 PIRAZZI, Stefano (BARDIANI CSF)
POR 10 PIMENTA COSTA MENDES, José Joao (BORA-ARGON 18)
ITA 11 PONZI, Simone (SOUTHEAST)
ITA 12 GABBURO, Davide (ITALY NATIONAL)
ITA 13 FINETTO, Mauro (SOUTHEAST)
ESP 14 FRAILE MATARRANZA, Omar (CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA)
ITA 15 TABORRE, Fabio (ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI)
ITA 16 CUNEGO, Damiano (NIPPO – VINI FANTINI)
KAZ 17 ZEITS, Andrey (ASTANA)
ITA 18 MOSCON, Gianni (ITALY NATIONAL)
ITA 19 CHIRICO, Luca (BARDIANI CSF)
ITA 20 MOSER, Moreno (CANNONDALE – GARMIN)
CAN 21 HOULE, Hugo (AG2R LA MONDIALE)
CZE 22 KONIG, Leopold (SKY)
ESP 23 LANDA MEANA, Mikel (ASTANA)
ERI 24 KUDUS GHEBREMEDHIN, Merhawi (MTN – QHUBEKA)
ITA 25 VILLELLA, Davide (CANNONDALE – GARMIN)
ITA 26 SALERNO, Cristiano (BORA-ARGON 18)
ITA 27 CATALDO, Dario (ASTANA)
AUS 28 PORTE, Richie (SKY)
ITA 29 ZARDINI, Edoardo (BARDIANI CSF)
ITA 30 POZZOVIVO, Domenico (AG2R LA MONDIALE)
CAN 31 HESJEDAL, Ryder (CANNONDALE – GARMIN)
ITA 32 BENEDETTI, Cesare (BORA-ARGON 18)
ITA 33 ROSA, Diego (ASTANA)
ESP 34 LOPEZ GARCIA, David (SKY)
ROU 35 TVETCOV, Serghei (ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI)
COL 36 PEDRAZA MORALES, Walter Fernando (COLOMBIA)
GER 37 BUCHMANN, Emanuel (BORA-ARGON 18)
COL 38 RAMIREZ CHACON, Brayan Stiven (COLOMBIA)
RSA 39 MEINTJES, Louis (MTN – QHUBEKA)
POR 40 VILELA, Ricardo (CAJA RURAL-SEGUROS RGA)

Final General Classification
AUS 1 PORTE, Richie (SKY) 13:43:41
ESP 2 LANDA MEANA, Mikel (ASTANA) + 22
CZE 3 KONIG, Leopold (SKY) + 58
ITA 4 CATALDO, Dario (ASTANA) + 1:11
ITA 5 CUNEGO, Damiano (NIPPO – VINI FANTINI) + 1:13
POR 6 PIMENTA COSTA MENDES, José Joao (BORA-ARGON 18) + 1:15
ITA 7 POZZOVIVO, Domenico (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 1:32
RSA 8 MEINTJES, Louis (MTN – QHUBEKA) + 1:33
FRA 9 BARDET, Romain (AG2R LA MONDIALE) + 1:34
ITA 10 ZARDINI, Edoardo (BARDIANI CSF) + 1:37
ITA 11 PIRAZZI, Stefano (BARDIANI CSF) + 1:48
COL 12 TORRES AGUDELO, Rodolfo Andres (COLOMBIA)
ITA 13 ROSA, Diego (ASTANA) + 2:12
CAN 14 HESJEDAL, Ryder (CANNONDALE – GARMIN) + 4:00
BLR 15 SIUTSOU, Kanstantsin (SKY) + 4:44
EST 16 KANGERT, Tanel (ASTANA) + 5:10
ITA 17 ZILIOLI, Gianfranco (ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI) + 6:27
ITA 18 TIRALONGO, Paolo (ASTANA) + 6:35
ERI 19 KUDUS GHEBREMEDHIN, Merhawi (MTN – QHUBEKA) + 7:11
GER 20 BUCHMANN, Emanuel (BORA-ARGON 18) + 7:30