Alex Dowsett celebrates the triumph in the eighth stage of the Giro d’Italia.
Gian Mattia D’Alberto, ČTK / AP
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Dowsett, 32, was a member of a group of refugees, from whom he disengaged about 18 km before the finish of the undulating stage. During the solo ride, he proved his timekeeping skills, thanks to which he already scored a stage victory on the Gira in 2013 against the chronometer.
“I can’t believe it, because I don’t win the classic stages. I really needed this victory,” said the six-time British champion in the Dowsett time trial, who had a hard time holding back tears in an interview with journalists. “I don’t have a contract for next season, we will have a baby in January, so hopefully this victory will help,” added the former world record holder in the watch.
A minute and a quarter after Dowsett, a group of three, the fastest Italian Salvatore Puccio, crossed the finish line. Australian Michael Matthews won the main field for seventh place overall.
Interim leader Almeida finished 17th and is still 43 seconds ahead of Spaniard Pell Bilbao. His pink jersey may be in jeopardy on Sunday’s hilly 9th stage from San Salva to Roccarasa, where he awaits cyclists after two first and second category mountain bonuses. “It will be harder tomorrow, so we’ll see if I can keep the pink jersey,” Almeida said.
| Giro d’Italia – 8. etapa (Giovinazzo – Vieste, 200 km) | |
| 1. Dowsett (Brit./Israel Start-Up Nation) | 4:50:09 |
| 2. Puccio (It./Ineos Grenadiers) | -1:15 |
| 3. Holmes (Brit./Lotto-Soudal) | ” |
| 4. Rosskopf (USA/CCC) | ” |
| 5. Brändle (Rak./Israel Start-Up Nation) | -2:10 |
| 6. Ravanelli (It./Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec) | -2:13 |
| 7. Matthews (Austr./Sunweb) | -13:56 |
| 8. Gaviria (Kol./SAE Team Emirates) | ” |
| 9. Bjerg (Dán. / SAE Team Emirates) | ” |
| 10. Vendrame (It./AG2R La Mondiale) | ” |
| … | |
| 97. Black (CR / CCC) | ” |
| Running order | |
| 1. Almeida (Portug./Deceuninck-Quick Step) | 29:52:34 |
| 2. Bilbao (Spanish / Bahrain-McLaren) | -43 |
| 3. Kelderman (Niz./Sunweb) | -48 |
| 4. Vanhoucke (Belg./Lotto-Soudal) | -59 |
| 5. V. Nibali (It./Trek-Segafredo) | -1:01 |
| 6. Pozzovivo (It./NTT) | -1:05 |
| 7. Fuglsang (Dán. / Astana) | -1:19 |
| 8. Kruijswijk (Niz./Jumbo-Visma) | -1:21 |
| 9. Konrad (Rak./Bora-hansgrohe) | -1:26 |
| 10. Mother (Pol./Bora-hansgrohe) | -1:32 |
| … | |
| 110. Black | -54:53 |
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