Ulissi Gives Italy First Stage Win of 2014 Giro

AFP/Yuzuru Sunada

Italy, May 14, 2014 (AFP) – Diego Ulissi gave Italy their first stage win of the Giro d’Italia and his second career victory in the race on Wednesday when he won the 203 kilometers fifth stage from Taranto to Viggiano. The 24-year-old Lampre rider, who won his previous stage in the Giro three years ago, beat home veteran Australian Cadel Evans while Julian Arredondo of Colombia was third in stage affected by strong winds and heavy downpours.
  
Evans’s compatriot Michael Matthews retained the overall leader’s pink jersey. Matthews’s Orica team had performed impressively in running down an 11-man breakaway which at one point had a lead of six minutes over the peloton. A further attack by Italian Gianluca Brambilla was also brought to an end 1500 meters from the finish as the Katusha team of experienced Spaniard Joaquim Rodriguez reeled him in. Evans launched the sprint for the line but Ulissi went past him and eased home, for his third stage win of the season, while Matthews was sixth.

Thursday’s sixth stage is one of the longest of the race at 247km from Sassano to Montecassino, with the closing stages a 8.7km climb.

Results: Fifth stage of the 2014 Giro d’Italia: 203km Taranto to Viggiano:

Stage
1. Diego Ulissi (ITA/LAM) 5hr 12min 39sec
2. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) at 1sec
3. Julian Arredondo (COL/TRE) same time
4. Rigoberto Uran (COL/OPQ) s.t.
5. Rafal Majka (POL/TIN) s.t.
6. Michael Matthews (AUS/ORI) s.t.
7. Joaquim Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) s.t.
8. Wilco Kelderman (NED/BKN) s.t.
9. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) s.t.
10. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) s.t.

Overall
1. Michael Matthews (AUS/ORI) 17hr 41min 23sec
2. Pieter Weening (NED/ORI) at 14sec
3. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 15
4. Rigoberto Uran (COL/OPQ) 19
5. Rafal Majka (POL/TIN) 26
6. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/SKY) 35
7. Nicolas Roche (IRL/TIN) 37
8. Michele Scarponi (ITA/AST) 41
9. Dario Cataldo (ITA/SKY) 49
10. Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) 52
11. Steve Morabito (SUI/BMC) 52
12. Ivan Basso (ITA/CAN) 1min 07sec
13. Gianluca Brambilla (ITA/OPQ) 1:07
14. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 1:09
15. Georg Preidler (AUT/GIA) 1:10
16. Julian Arredondo (COL/TRE) 1:10
17. Wilco Kelderman (NED/BKN) 1:12
18. Maxime Bouet (FRA/ALM) 1:12
19. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) 1:12
20. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/BKN) 1:15.

Selected
22. Diego Ulissi (ITA/LAM) 1:23, 40. Joaquim Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 1:47, 69. Ryder Hesjedal (CAN/GRM) 3:40.