Stevens speeds to solo win

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American Evelyn Stevens fulfilled her promise as a top climber in the peloton as the HTC-Columbia rider soloed to a magnificent victory in Albese con Cassano. Marianne Vos (Netherlands) finished second from a chase group and held onto her pink jersey for another day.

Stevens was second over the day's first climb, the Sormano, behind Tatiana Guderzo (Team Valdarno), the leaders having split the field on the long, gradual ascent. Further down the climb, Cervelo's climber Emma Pooley was forced to chase after suffering a puncture at the base of the climb.

By the time the race hit the Ghisallo, Stevens had decided to put her time trialing skills to good use and go solo in a bid for her first Giro stage win. She put a minute and a half into the elite chasing group containing the race leader Vos by the climb, and held onto a 42 second advantage at the line.

Last year's champion Claudia Häusler (Cervelo) came in with the group of the maglia rosa, as did Stevens' teammate Judith Arndt and the USA's Mara Abbottt, all of whom are expected to battle for the glory atop the Stelvio on Saturday's stage.

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