Evans leads Giro after strong mountain finish

CADEL EVANS snatched the overall lead in the Giro d’Italia after finishing among the race favourites in yesterday’s eighth stage and first mountain test.

BMC rider Evans, the 2011 Tour de France champion, wrested the pink jersey away from fellow Australian Michael Matthews, who was quickly dropped when the competitors started to climb in the 179 km trek from Foligno.

Evans, who gained ground on his main rivals after dodging Thursday’s crashes, now leads Colombian Rigoberto Uran by 57 seconds. Poland’s Rafal Majka is third, 1:10secs off the pace. Frenchman Pierre Rolland, who surged clear of the peloton with 30 km left, was caught 250 metres from the line after an attack by Spaniard Dani Moreno.

Italy’s Lampre rider Diego Ulissi won the stage after outsprinting Croatian Robert Kiserlovski.

‘I hung in there all day to stay in the leading group. Then I did a super sprint,’ Ulissi said afterwards.

Today’s 172 km ninth stage is from Lugo to Testola.