Giro d'Italia: Jungels retains lead as Izagirre wins stage eight
Saturday 13 May 2017 18:09, UK
Spain's Gorka Izagirre held off the peloton to claim the eighth stage of the Giro d'Italia as Luxembourg's Bob Jungels retained the overall lead on Saturday.
Movistar rider Izagirre attacked from a group of four breakaway riders during the short but steep climb leading to the finish in Peschici and never looked back as he claimed his first individual Grand Tour win.
Italian Giovanni Visconti (Bahrain-Merida) took second place, five seconds behind, with Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) third on the day, 10 seconds off the pace.
Jungels (Quick Step-Floors) finished safely in the main pack, which was led in by Thibaut Pinot's FDJ team as the main favourites looked to avoid splits in the last ascent.
"It was important to control things in a tricky finale, the team showed they were here," said Pinot.
Stage winner Izagirre said: "The stage was very hard, the average speed was very high. [Giovanni] Visconti was probably the most dangerous rival for the stage victory in the front group.
"I'm very happy that I won. I got an opportunity and I'm glad I didn't miss it."
Jungels and the other overall favourites finished 12 seconds behind Izagirre.
The race leader maintained his six-second advantage over Geraint Thomas of Wales while another Brit, Adam Yates, remained third, 10 seconds back, with most of the overall favourites.
Jungels's pink jersey could now come under threat in Sunday's ninth stage, which ends in Blockhaus after a punishing 13.65-km ascent at an average gradient of 8.4 percent.
