Simon Gerrans proved to have the strongest legs on the punishing 2km uphill finish to land the 14th stage of the Giro d'Italia.
Australian sprints clear on uphill finish to win 14th stage
Australian Simon Gerrans proved to have the strongest legs on the punishing uphill finish to land the 14th stage of the Giro d'Italia.
The Cervelo rider was part of a breakaway and then sprinted clear in scorching heat to win following a 172-km mountainous route from Campi Bisenzio.
Russia's Denis Menchov, who took the pink jersey off Danilo Di Luca on Thursday, kept his 34 seconds overall lead.
With five climbs, the stage always looked suitable to a breakaway and a dozen riders escaped early in the day.
Crucial lead
They stretched out a lead of around 4min 30sec at one point but crucially kept their lead at around 2min by the time they reached the final climb.
This advantage gave them enough of a gap to the peloton to ensure that one of them would claim the victory.
ISD's Andriy Grivko was the first to have a go but he came to a virtual stop on the final climb and Gerrans swept past him with Kenyan-born Briton Chris Froome in tow.
They looked to be riding clear together until Froome, who appeared to be pushing a gear that was too high, hit the wall on a climb that had sections with gradients of 16-20 per cent.
Gerrans then rode off into the distance to win by 12sec from Italian Rubens Bertaglioti of Diquigiovanni. Lampre's Francesco Gavazzi was third, 18sec behind.
"It was very, very tough," said Gerrans afterwards, adding at the start of the stage he thought he could win.
When the rapidly dwindling peloton arrived more than a minute behind it was led by Italian Franco Pellizotti.
Stage 14 result:1. Simon Gerrans (Australia/Cervelo ) 4hrs 16mins 48secs
2. Rubens Bertogliati (Switzerland/Diquigiovanni ) +12"
3. Francesco Gavazzi (Italy/Lampre) +18"
4. Evgueni Petrov (Russia/Katusha ) +24"
5. Philip Deignan (Ireland/Cervelo ) +27"
6. Chris Froome (Britain/Barloworld ) +36"
7. Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus/Caisse d'Epargne) +41"
8. Francesco Reda (Italy/Quick-Step) +1:01"
9. Andriy Grivko (Ukraine/Team ISD) +1:04"
10. Franco Pellizotti (Italy/Liquigas) st
