Home > News

2015 Giro d’Italia Stage 17: Sacha Modolo doubles his pleasure in Switzerland

May 27, 2015
Share on SMS

Sacha Modolo took his second sprint win of the 2015 Giro d’Italia in Switzerland on Wednesday, giving Lampre its fourth stage victory and the Italians their seventh triumph in fifteen road stages. Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff-Saxo) stayed safe in pink.

After the last three grueling stages, Wednesday offered the respite of a short, fairly flat, predictable course from Aprica in Lombardy to Lugano, Switzerland. A three-man breakaway moved up the road soon after the start to assail the only climb of the day, the Cat. 3 ascent to Teglio. A few riders tried to bridge over and join the trio but their efforts came to naught.

The escape was given a short leash, with Giant-Alpecin, Lampre and Trek all working at the pointy end of the peloton. Red jersey wearer Elia Viviani (Italy/Sky) achieved some separation from compatriot Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek) in the points competition by being fourth man through the intermediate sprint in Morbegno. However, Nizzolo returned the favour in the next intermediate sprint with 30-km remaining.

Right after Nizzolo’s triumph, the breakaway submitted and then three riders attacked on an uncategorized climb. Emerging from the move was Adam Hansen (Australia/Lotto-Soudal), riding his tenth consecutive Grand Tour. Giant-Alpecin drove the bunch in pursuit.

Hansen couldn’t quite lead the race into Switzerland, as he was absorbed at the 10.5-km to go mark. The field was strung out as it skirted Lake Lugano.

Tom-Jelte Slagter (The Netherlands/Cannondale-Garmin) and Stage 12 winner Philippe Gilbert (Belgium/BMC) tried their luck in the final 6-km. Then a dig from Luca Paolini (Italy/Katusha) threatened to ruin the sprinters’ day.

However, Lampre assumed control of the bunch in the final kilometre. Modolo came around his lead-out man but had to stave off Luka Mezgec (Slovenia/Giant-Alpecin) and Nizzolo at the line. Nizzolo’s runner-up spot gave him the red jersey.

Ryder Hesjedal lost 12-seconds today and is now 13-seconds behind 9th place Alexandre Geniez (France/FDJ).

Thursday’s stage returns to Italy and the mountains. A tricky Cat. 1 mountain with four peaks awaits the peloton in the final 46-km, but a 13-km descent and a 5-km flat leads to the finish in Verbania.


2015 Giro d’Italia Stage 18
1) Sacha Modolo (Italy/Lampre) 3:07:51
2) Giacomo Nizzolo (Itlay/Trek) s.t.
3) Luka Mezgec (Slovenia/Giant-Alpecin) s.t.
45) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Cannondale-Garmin) +0:12
98) Hugo Houle (Canada/Ag2r) +1:16

2015 Giro d’Italia GC
1) Alberto Contador (Spain/Tinkoff-Saxo) 68:12:50
2) Mikel Landa (Spain/Astana) +4:02
3) Fabio Aru (Italy/Astana) +4:52
10) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Cannondale-Garmin) +13:01