Giro d'Italia: Modolo wins stage 17 in Lugano

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Sacha Modolo (Lampre-Merida) took his second stage victory, winning the sprint in Lugano on stage 17 of the Giro d’Italia. He outsprinted Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek) and Luka Mezgec (Giant-Alpecin) on the shore of Lake di Lugano, in what was Lampre’s fourth stage win in this year’s race.

Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) was safely in the field and defended his overall lead, with no changes in the top of the GC.

The short stage saw Iljo Keisse (Etixx-QuickStep), Marco Bandiera (Androni Giocattoli) and Giacomo Berlato (Nippo-Vini Fantini) form an early break, which stayed away, but not far away, for much of the day. Adam Hansen (Lotto-Soudal) and Luca Paolini (Katusha) were in late and unsuccessful breaks.

The day added to Lampre-Merida’s success at the Giro. It was Modolo’s second stage win, after winning the mass sprint in Jesolo on stage 13. The team can now claim four wins, with Jan Polanc taking stage 5 and Diego Ulissi stage 7.

"On paper, the stage looked easy, but in reality it was hard, with a real ramp at 4km to go," Modolo said. "I looked around me on the climb and I saw lots of potential sprinters in difficulty. Perhaps they were more tired than me. Yesterday was very hard but I had good legs today and it was nice and hot - the sort of day I like. Perhaps we could do with one more rider but, after months of hard work, in Max Richeze and Roberto Ferrari I have one of the best lead-out trains going. I'm afraid of no one."

After a day of digging deep into his reserves to protect and even extend his overall lead in this Giro d'Italia, Contador was relieved to get through another testing stage.

"In theory it was a transitional stage but it was hard," he said. "The road went up and down, and we were riding into a headwind for most of the day. The peloton was very nervous, and it was fast, with the three-man breakaway up the road. So far, something has happened almost every day: a crash, a puncture. I'm very happy because I got through the stage safely and arrived in Lugano, where I live, on my home roads. Yesterday was much more wearing than I would have liked, but I'm one day closer to Milan."

How it unfolded

The peloton faced unfamiliar weather conditions at the start line Wednesday afternoon in Tirano with sunshine and warm temperatures. And with a short stage of only 134 kilometres, the riders could have a relaxed morning and a late start.

The climbing started after only eight kilometers, but the third category Teglio would be the only obstacle of the day. The break had already formed, though, with Iljo Keisse (Etixx-QuickStep), Marco Bandiera (Androni Giacattoli) and Giacomo Berlato (Nippo-Vini Fantini) getting away only two kilometres into the day.

The trio built up a lead of up to three minutes, but were not allowed to go any further than that. With 60 kilometres to go, it had fallen to under two minutes. It was a stage made for a successful escape, but also for the few remaining sprinters in the race.

Various teams led the chase, as all enjoyed a quieter day after the exertions in the mountains on Tuesday. With 40 kilometres to go, the gap hovered around the minute mark but within the next 10 kilometres it was under 30 seconds. And with exactly 27 kilometres left, the break was caught.

A small and unranked climb some 25 kilometres before the finish saw Adam Hansen (Lotto-Soudal) and Patrick Gretsch (AG2R) attack. Darwin Atapuma (BMC) scurried up to join them. Hansen attacked again and left the other two behind him. The Australian took off in pursuit of his second Giro stage win, having won one in 2013. Gretsch gave chase but Atapuma was unable to stay with the German. The two were soon caught again by the field, with Giant-Alpecin leading the way.

Hansen, appearing in his 11th consecutive Grand Tour, held a narrow lead but was caught again before the race entered Switzerland. Tinkoff-Saxo had taken back the lead of the race by then, on the narrow roads skirting Lake Como.

Tom Jelte Slagter (Cannondale-Garmin) was the next to try his luck, 5.5 kilometres from the finish line. Philippe Gilbert (BMC) moved up to join him, but they were caught. Luca Paolini (Katusha) took off with about 3 km to go and quickly built up a decent lead.

Trek was the only team with two riders in the chase, which was otherwise unorganized. Paolini, who regularly trains on this road, looked to be away, but was caught again. Lampre Merida led the way into the final kilometre, boasting three men in the lead-out and Modolo pulled through to take the win, his second of this Giro. Nizzolo pipped Mezgec at the line to take second.

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