Caleb Ewan takes first Giro d'Italia win in photo finish on stage seven
Caleb Ewan beat Fernando Gaviria and Sam Bennett in a photo finish to claim his first ever Giro d'Italia win on stage seven.
Orica-Scott's Ewan had been disappointed by his bad luck in previous stages during the first week of the 2017 Giro d'Italia but was led out to perfection by Luka Mezgec through the narrow streets of Alberbello to take his first ever Giro stage victory.
Ireland's Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) and ciclamino points jersey holder Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) finished so close to the diminutive Australian that a photo finish was needed which showed Ewan had won by the margin of just half a wheel to both. Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) and Jasper Stuyven (Trek Segafredo) were never in contention but finished the top five.
An over-the-moon and relieved Ewan said: "We [Ewan and Mezgec] lost each other with 3km to go but the guys were so confident and so calm we all just waited and we got back together and then Luka did an amazing job at the end.
"It was probably one of the more hectic finals I've done in the Giro and I knew I had to go early because those corners were going to be hard to get around people, so I jumped first and luckily I held on".
Orica-Scott's Sporting Director, Matt White, was ecstatic after the stage: "It was a pretty tricky circuit and the boys needed to take it from the front and they did. We knew if Caleb could start his sprint first and get into his aero position it would be difficult for anyone to out run him and he just held on and did just enough!"
Another third place finish in a sprint for Bennett, who wasn't too happy with his performance: "It was a tricky final, a lot of shouldering, but we did nothing wrong and I don't really know what happened. The guys did an amazing job for me, and are riding beyond their years, I just wish I could have got the win for them today. It was close, but no cigar".
Only two riders made up the obligatory yet totally ineffective breakaway - Dmitry Kozontchuk (Gazprom) and Giuseppe Fonzi (Wilier Selle Italia) - making it a certainty that the 224km stage from Castrovillari to Alberobello would end in a sprint finish.
It's fair to say this stage wasn't one styled for great television, with the first half almost entirely following the main dual carriageway from Castrovillari to Alberobello. Giro organiser Mauro Vegni said the Tour de France can be boring - he can't exactly talk with dull transitional stages like this.
After a long, very slow burn of a stage, the peloton finally decided to bring back the break inside 20km.
Cannondale-Drapac's Kristijan Koren launched a brave attack in the last 4km and no one chased but with Team Sky pushing in the peloton his escape didn't last long.
Orica-Scott led by Mezgec took up pacing duties inside 1.7km looking to get their man, Caleb Ewan, his first stage win of the Giro.
The twisting narrow roads meant the sprinters had to pick their time and space carefully and luckily for Ewan he managed to hit the front first and as they teared round the final bend with 100 metres to go and no one could catch him.
Stage eight should be more television friendly than today's. 189km along the coast to the heel of Italy from Molfetti to Peschici could be one for another brave breakaway or a puncheur, with a category two climb mid-way and a lumpy finish with a sting in the tail suiting stronger riders rather than pure sprinters.
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| Credit: road.cc |
Ireland's Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) and ciclamino points jersey holder Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) finished so close to the diminutive Australian that a photo finish was needed which showed Ewan had won by the margin of just half a wheel to both. Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) and Jasper Stuyven (Trek Segafredo) were never in contention but finished the top five.
An over-the-moon and relieved Ewan said: "We [Ewan and Mezgec] lost each other with 3km to go but the guys were so confident and so calm we all just waited and we got back together and then Luka did an amazing job at the end.
"It was probably one of the more hectic finals I've done in the Giro and I knew I had to go early because those corners were going to be hard to get around people, so I jumped first and luckily I held on".
Orica-Scott's Sporting Director, Matt White, was ecstatic after the stage: "It was a pretty tricky circuit and the boys needed to take it from the front and they did. We knew if Caleb could start his sprint first and get into his aero position it would be difficult for anyone to out run him and he just held on and did just enough!"
Another third place finish in a sprint for Bennett, who wasn't too happy with his performance: "It was a tricky final, a lot of shouldering, but we did nothing wrong and I don't really know what happened. The guys did an amazing job for me, and are riding beyond their years, I just wish I could have got the win for them today. It was close, but no cigar".
Only two riders made up the obligatory yet totally ineffective breakaway - Dmitry Kozontchuk (Gazprom) and Giuseppe Fonzi (Wilier Selle Italia) - making it a certainty that the 224km stage from Castrovillari to Alberobello would end in a sprint finish.
It's fair to say this stage wasn't one styled for great television, with the first half almost entirely following the main dual carriageway from Castrovillari to Alberobello. Giro organiser Mauro Vegni said the Tour de France can be boring - he can't exactly talk with dull transitional stages like this.
After a long, very slow burn of a stage, the peloton finally decided to bring back the break inside 20km.
Cannondale-Drapac's Kristijan Koren launched a brave attack in the last 4km and no one chased but with Team Sky pushing in the peloton his escape didn't last long.
Orica-Scott led by Mezgec took up pacing duties inside 1.7km looking to get their man, Caleb Ewan, his first stage win of the Giro.
The twisting narrow roads meant the sprinters had to pick their time and space carefully and luckily for Ewan he managed to hit the front first and as they teared round the final bend with 100 metres to go and no one could catch him.
Stage eight should be more television friendly than today's. 189km along the coast to the heel of Italy from Molfetti to Peschici could be one for another brave breakaway or a puncheur, with a category two climb mid-way and a lumpy finish with a sting in the tail suiting stronger riders rather than pure sprinters.
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