2013 Giro d'Italia Stage 17 Results & Recap
Stage 17 of the 2013 Giro d'Italia is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Nibali retains maglia rosa
Giovanni Visconti soloed to victory in Vicenza to earn his second stage win of the 2013 Giro d'Italia and the third straight for his Movistar squad. The 30-year-old Italian jumped away from the peloton on the day's only climb, the category 4 Crosara with 16km to go, rode through the remnants of the day's early break, and held off the pursuit of a diminished peloton in the stage finale.
Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin-Sharp) took the sprint for second ahead of Luka Mezgec (Argos-Shimano) and Filippo Pozzato (Lampre-Merida) in the maglia rosa group, which crossed the line 19 seconds after Visconti.
The top of the general classification remained unchanged with Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) retaining the overall lead, 1:26 ahead of Cadel Evans (BMC) and 2:46 in front of Rigoberto Uran (Sky).
Prior to the start of the Giro, Visconti had thought that today's stage into Vicenza would be a favourable parcours for either himself or teammate Francisco Ventoso. "I decided to try my luck on the climb, and leave the sprint to Ventoso," said Visconti. "I saw [Danilo] Di Luca and [Miguel] Rubiano ahead. I caught them, and dropped them on the climb. I dropped Rubiano because he is fast in the sprint. Then I just gave it full gas on the descent and flat."
When it rains it pours for the Movistar Italian who won his first race of the season on the Giro's 15th stage to the Galibier, and now added another Grand Tour stage victory to his palmares just three days later.
"My mentality has changed completely," said Visconti. "It is now what it was before, and how it should be: your head can make you ride badly, but it can also revive you. The stimulus of the win on the Galibier and the congratulations I received, were deeply touching.
"I felt fearless today. I rode 13km without panicking. The kilometres flowed past one after the other and it was wonderful. I can't describe it. The crowds shouting my name. Today was special for me."
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