Giro del Trentino: Landa wins stage 2

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Mikel Landa (Team Sky) took the leader’s jersey at the Giro del Trentino by winning the four-kilometre uphill finish at the 220km second stage to Anras in Austria.

Landa attacked alone with three kilometres to go after some excellent work by his Sky teammates and especially local rider Gianni Moscon. Landa quickly distanced his rivals, with the likes of Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) opting not to challenge him on the short climb.

Landa suffered in the final steep kilometre before the finish as Sergey Firsanov (Gazprom) chased alone. The Russian almost caught the Basque rider but Landa managed to stay away to win by four seconds. Damiano Cunego (Nippo-Vini Fantini) was third at 13 seconds, with other riders coming in the Italian veteran’s slipstream.

Jakob Fuglsang defended Astana’s interests in the absence of Nibali and race leader Valerio Agnoli. But he finished fifth, 14 seconds down on Landa – the same time Astana gained on Landa and Team Sky in the opening team time trial. Landa took the race lead thanks to a ten-second time bonus. Fuglsang is now 10 seconds back, with Firsanov third at 15 seconds.

The 220km stage climbed gradually from the start in Arco near the tip of Lake Garda to the finish in Anras in Austria and the Val Pusteria near Lienz.

The early break formed after an hour of fast racing, with Alexander Foliforov (Gazprom), Giacomo Berlato (Nippo Fantini), Cristian Rodriguez (Southeast), Jose Mendes (Bora Argon 18), Flavio Santos (Brazil), Nicola Gaffurini (Norda MG KVis) and Sebastian Schonberger (Tirol) in the move. They were allowed to stay clear by the peloton but were swept up before the final climb after some hard work by Astana and then Team Sky on the front of the peloton.

Landa had played down is chances at the Giro del Trentino after having a difficult spring with illness and delays to his training, but was more upbeat after his stage victory.

"Short climbs are really good for me to make a difference," Landa explained after enjoying his moment on the podium. "I not sure of final gaps but I gained more than I expected. The team did a good job for me. It’s good to win because we’re preparing for the Giro d’Italia together. Winning this stage makes me happy."

Landa was more reserved about his overall chances of victory. He won a stage at the Vuelta a Pais Vasco but then slipped out of overall contention. He knows the final two stages of the Giro del Trentino are packed with major climbs.

"For sure tomorrow, some riders will try to attack because the last climb is close to finish. The last day has the hardest climb of the race and so I think everyone will try something."

Thursday’s third stage is a tough mountain stage, with the 12km climb only 15km from the finish.

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