Giro d'Italia: Yates wins again in Osimo

Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) extended his overall race lead and took his second stage win at this year's Giro d'Italia with a strong solo victory in Osimo on stage 11.

Defending champion Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) put in a concerted chase but could not bring back the maglia rosa and had to settle for second place, two seconds back, with Davide Formolo (Bora-Hansgrohe) taking third.

Even before the Giro d'Italia had started, Yates had pinpointed the 156-kilometre stage 11 to Osimo as a potential place to take victory but he had to bide his time.

Zdenek Stybar (Quick-Step Floors) and Tim Wellens (Lotto Fix All) would be the first to land a blow with just under five kilometres to go, while Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-Scott) slipped off the back. Yates and the other contenders remained calm in this twisting and frenetic finale. With Stybar and Wellens in sight just inside the final two kilometres, Yates took up the initiative and pulled out an immediate gap.

Dumoulin was quick to respond but he wasn't quite quick enough, and the gap proved crucial. The Dutchman closed the gap on the flatter sections, but just as it seemed that he might pull Yates back the road would head up again and Yates would nudge out his advantage. It would prove to be enough for Yates on the run to the line, who had enough time to celebrate and add two seconds on the road plus the bonus seconds to his overall lead. His advantage over Dumoulin sits at just 47 seconds with the time trial still to come.

"We decided before the stage that we wouldn't chase for the stage, because normally in a finish like that there are some faster guys who have won before me," Yates said after the stage.

"That also proved true - the guys like Tim Wellens and Lotto-Jumbo they came to the front to chase. They were obviously confident for the finish. That wasn't plan, but if it came back I would of course try.

"I'd prefer to be getting more time on Tom. He was really chasing me all the way to the finish there. He looks better than the other day on the steep finishes there. I think he's getting better as the race goes on, and that's not good news for me."

After good signs for Chris Froome on stage 10, the Team Sky rider gave away more seconds in the overall standings. He finished over 40 seconds behind his compatriot and slipped out of the top 10 once again.

How it happened

The dust had barely settled on the dramatic return to racing on Tuesday when the riders set out from Assisi on Wednesday morning. There was an emotional backdrop to the stage with the 15-kilometre route passing through Filottrano, the hometown of the late Michele Scarponi and the Astana team seemed set on showing their colours.

If there were any tired legs from the ferocious pace set on stage 10, it didn't show as a series of relentless attacks flew off the front over the opening 20 kilometres. It was breakaway specialists Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) and Alessandro de Marchi (BMC Racing) who finally made it stick as they went off the front through the twisting streets of the towns in the early part of the course.

They would be joined by Mirco Maestri (Bardiani CSF) and Fausto Masnada (Androni Giocattoli) jumped across the gap. The Wilier Triestina management were clearly not happy that they were not represented up front and, after getting permission from Giovanni Visconti (Bahrain-Merida), Alex Turrin set off in chase. Mercifully for the Italian, Sanchez seemed happy to make the other escapees wait and he made it across, making it a five-man escape group.

The quintet was not allowed much room to spare, and with a multitude of general classification teams interested in keeping them in check, they were given a maximum lead of a little over four minutes. Unlike some previous stages, there was no illusion that the main break would succeed on this rolling stage as the peloton chipped away at the advantage as the kilometres ticked on.

Surprisingly, Mitchelton-Scott were given plenty of help at the front of the bunch with FDJ and Lotto Soudal among those that helped to set the pace, one that would see the stage finish close to 20 minutes ahead of the fastest predicted schedule.

Turrin and Maestri were the first to begin sliding the slippery slope towards the peloton and with 17 kilometres to go their day out front was all but done. The remaining three plugged on and still held 45 seconds over the peloton but the chase was truly on and their days were numbers. The steep climb to the line meant that there was a long line of riders interested in the stage victory, while the general classification contenders hoped to avoid losing any time.

No sooner had the catch been made with just under five kilometres remaining, Zdenek Stybar (Quick-Step Floors) launched a stinging attack on the steep gradients. The Czech champion was followed by Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal), the only rider who could hold onto his wheel. Meanwhile, Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-Scott) decided to save his legs for another day and was dropped off the back of the peloton.

The pair worked together for a few kilometres before Wellens launched a last ditch effort inside the final two kilometres. However, the peloton was catching them and Yates saw his chance to extend his lead and take another stage win. The race leader attacked on the steep climb to the line, but Dumoulin was looming just behind him.

Yates couldn't shake the dominating figure of the defending champion but the gradients played into his hands and he held off the closing Dumoulin. Formolo crossed the line a few kilometres later for a hard-earned third place finish.

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