Two-time Giro d'Italia winner Gilberto Simoni beat the field Wednesday on the mountaintop finish at Monte Zoncolan, one of the steepest climbs in Europe.
Riding with two other cyclists on the final stretch of the climb, Simoni put overall leader Danilo Di Luca into difficulty but couldn't finish him off as Di Luca struggled across the line in 4th place, 31 seconds behind Simoni.
The day's highlights played out on Monte Zoncolan, merely a 6.2-mile long climb that averages an 11.9% gradient, with a maximum of 22%. The mountain came at the finish of the 88-mile Stage 17 that started in Lienz, Austria.
Simoni, the captain of the Saunier Duval team, was this year's favorite to win the Giro, after last year's winner Ivan Basso was banned. Early in the three-week tour, Simoni lost ground to overall leader Di Luca but has been steadily regaining time as the Giro wraps up in a series of mountain stage, Simoni's speciality.
As the race hit the botton of the Monte Zoncolan climb, a dozen riders were out front in a breakaway that had 4 minutes on the chase group, which included Di Luca and some Liquigas teammates.
Simoni, with teammates Iban Mayo, Leonardo Piepoli, and Ricardo Ricco surged to the front, and the chase group started to break apart. One by one, the other cyclists in the pink jersey group began dropping off.
After Di Luca dropped off, it was just Simoni, Piepoli and Team CSC's Andy Schleck in the front group. Paolo Savoldelli's efforts to keep Eddy Mazzoleni in the chase group (and to retain second place) failed.
Damiano Cunego (Lampre), another race favorite, slipped off the back as well but hooked up with Di Luca who remained just a few second behind. Meanwhile, they all pass the last remnants of the breakaway struggling up the climb.
At the finish, Piepoli drops fades and Simoni takes the stage, followed by Schleck in 3rd place. Simoni gained 31 seconds on Di Luca.
Overall, Di Luca remained in first, Schleck jumped into 2nd place at 2-minutes-24 back and Simoni into 3rd at 2-minutes-28. Cunego is in 4th at 3-minutes-29.day.
More results at VeloNews.
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