Ewan sprints to second stage win as Conti keeps the pink jersey
Caleb E wan picked up his second stage win of the 2019 Giro d’italia as the Austral - ian took the honours on what could be the last bunch finish of this year’s race.
The Australian won stage 11 in a drag race of a sprint in Novi Ligure, the hometown of Italian great Fausto Coppi.
Tuesday’s winner Arnaud De mare of Group am a-F DJ came home second to take the lead in the points classification ahead of Bora-hansgro - he’s Pascal Ackermann, who had to settle for third.
Ewan had jumped on to Ackermann’s wheel on the final approach and with a headwind blowing down the long straight he bided his time before launching again.
“[Ackermann]’s one of the quickest here and he was the first sprinter that came past me,” the Lotto -S oudal rider said. “My guys got me in a good position and it made my run a whole lot easier. I could just sit there and then time my sprint to perfection. My team have done a great job all week and I’m a little bit more relaxed going into the stage with one win already.
“When you’re more relaxed you save more energy and everything seems to fall into place.”
But there was more frustration for Italian champion Elia Viviani, who could only manage fourth place as he was caught out of position. The Deceunick- Quickstep rider now looks set to leave the race with three second-placed finishes to his name as he turns his focus to the Tour de France.
The sprint finish at the end of the 221km stage from Carpi meant no change to the general classification, with UAE Team Emirates’ Valerio Conti keeping the pink jersey with a lead of one minute 50 seconds over race favourite P rim oz Roglic of Team Jumbo-visma.
Mitch elton-Scott’ s Simon Yates remains in 13th place, more than five-and-a-half minutes off Conti’s time.
Yates and others with time to makeup will now look to to day’s stage as the more mountainous tests begin with a 158km stage from Cueno to Pinerolo, highlighted by the late ascent of Montoso, a category one test.
Those sprinters with an interest in the points classification may well be the only ones to take the star t given the climbing to come as there are few other rewards open to them between here and Verona, and many of them have eyes on the Tour in July.