CYCLING – TEAM Bahrain Victorious rider Afonso Eulalio kept the Maglia Rosa, or pink jersey, after the 11th stage of the Giro d’Italia yesterday, finishing safely in Chiavari after a long day from Porcari.
Jhonatan Narvaez of UAE Team Emirates-XRG won the 195-kilometre leg ahead of Enric Mas of Movistar Team, with Diego Ulissi of XDS Astana Team taking third.
After the individual time trial on Tuesday, the Giro returned to the road with a stage that started fast and became harder in the second half. A strong breakaway went clear and stayed in front as the route moved towards the Ligurian coast, where the climbs in the final part made it another day where the general classification (GC) riders had to stay alert.
The hardest part came after Sestri Levante, with two short climbs before the final run into Chiavari. On a day made for attackers, the breakaway held on to decide the stage, while the GC group managed the final kilometres behind.
For Bahrain Victorious, the focus was to keep Eulalio safe, manage the heat, and bring him through another day in the Maglia Rosa without problems. The team stayed close to him through the key parts of the stage and helped him finish safely with the main GC group.
Narvaez and Mas fought for the stage win in Chiavari, with Narvaez taking victory in the final sprint. Behind them, Eulalio came through safely and kept the Maglia Rosa for another day.
Eulalio also continues to lead the best young rider classification.
“It was another hard day, especially with the heat, but the team did a perfect job,” said Eulalio. “We tried to stay safe, drink a lot, and stay focused until the final.
“Another day in pink is always important, but we have to keep going day by day. We cannot think too far ahead. We just need to stay focused and keep fighting.”
The Maglia Rosa dream continues today on a 175km 12th stage that comes back for a start on the coast in Imperia and finishes in Novi Ligure.
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