Jan Hirt took Intermarché-Wanty Gobert’s second stage win of this year’s Giro d'Italia on the mountainous stage to Aprica, attacking clear from breakaway companion Thymen Arensman (Team DSM) to win the day.
Hirt tracked down Arensman and then lone attacker Kamna on the climb of the Valico di Santa Cristina before counter-attacking an Arensman surge. He quickly opened up a gap and then ground his way to the finish, cresting the summit and then gingerly making his way down a slippery descent before heading back uphill into the finish line for his first Grand Tour stage win.
"I wanted to try to do something nice today," Hirt said. "Every time I hear Mortirolo I want to anticipate. I wanted to go in the breakaway today."
"There were difficult moments when the group split, so then we had to come back on the Mortirolo, then in the end on the last climb I had a problem with my bike, it was not shifting properly and the chain was jumping. Then I had cramps on the downhill, so I had all these problems, but I just wanted to fight all the way to the finish."
The maglia rosa group of Richard Carapaz (INEOS Grenadiers), Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious), Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) sprinted in for third, with the Australian just quicker to the line to take the four second time bonus for third on the stage, reducing his deficit to Carapaz in pink to just three seconds.
João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) was dogged in the chase behind despite being dropped, finishing 14 seconds behind as he slipped slightly to 44 seconds adrift of Carapaz.
The Giro d'Italia continues with another day in the mountains, with Stage 17 heading to Laverone over a course of 168 kilometres that includes the late climb of the Monte Rovere, eight kilometres at 9.6 per cent. Watch on SBS On Demand from 8.20pm AEST, with SBS coverage starting from 11.00pm AEST. WA viewers can watch from 9.00pm AWST on SBS VICELAND.
