CANAZEI, Italy: France’s Pierre Rolland capped a well-timed attack on the 17th stage of the Giro d’Italia to end his two-year wait for victory on Wednesday.
Rolland, of the Cannondale team, attacked an 18-man group of escapees 7.8 km from the finish of the 219 km stage from Tirano to Canazei to solo over the finish line in triumph.
Race leader Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) came over the finish line nearly eight minutes later with the main peloton to retain possession of the pink jersey with a 31sec lead on Colombian rival Nairo Quintana.
It was Rolland’s first win since a stage victory on the Tour of Castilla and Leon in 2015, and Cannondale’s first grand tour stage in two years.
Results from the 17th stage of the Giro d’Italia, held over 219 km between Tirano and Canazei on Wednesday:
Stage
1. Pierre Rolland (FRA/CAN) 5hr 42min 56sec, 2. Rui Costa (POR/UAE) at 24secs, 3. Gorka Izagirre (ESP/MOV) same time, 4. Rory Sutherland (AUS/MOV) s.t., 5. Matteo Busato (ITA/WIL) s.t., 6. Dries Devenyns (BEL/QST) s.t., 7. Felix Grosschartner (AUT/CCC) s.t., 8. Omar Fraile (ESP/DDD) s.t., 9. Michael Woods (CAN/CAN) s.t., 10. Julien Bernard (FRA/TRE) s.t.
Selected: 37. Tom Dumoulin (NED/SUN) at 7min 54sec, 40. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/BAH) s.t., 42. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) s.t., 53. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) s.t.
Russian, Azerbaijani Olympic cyclists banned for doping
A pair of Olympic cyclists from Russia and Azerbaijan have been banned for doping by the International Cycling Union.
The UCI says Tatyana Antoshina of Russia was given a four-year ban after testing positive for GHRP-2, which increases growth hormone levels in the body. Antoshina has won various road races around the world and finished 12th in the time trial and 25th in the road race at the 2012 London Olympics.
Maksym Averin of Azerbaijan was given a 15-month ban after testing positive in December for the banned substance meldonium. Averin is a sprinter who competed in the road race at last year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he failed to finish.
The International Cycling Union has suspended the Soul Brasil Pro Cycling team for the second time because of multiple doping offenses.
The UCI says Soul Brazil cannot compete in international events for 35 days from July 15 to Aug. 19.
When the team was known as Funvic Soul Cycles Carrefour last year, its riders were barred from races for 55 days.
The UCI can suspend teams when at least two riders are caught doping within a one-year period.
The latest cases involve biological passport results for Alex Correia Diniz in 2015 and tampering with a doping sample by Otavio Bulgarelli in 2016.
The UCI says the 35-day ban could have been longer but the doping violations occurred before the first sanction.
Rolland, of the Cannondale team, attacked an 18-man group of escapees 7.8 km from the finish of the 219 km stage from Tirano to Canazei to solo over the finish line in triumph.
Race leader Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) came over the finish line nearly eight minutes later with the main peloton to retain possession of the pink jersey with a 31sec lead on Colombian rival Nairo Quintana.
It was Rolland’s first win since a stage victory on the Tour of Castilla and Leon in 2015, and Cannondale’s first grand tour stage in two years.
Results from the 17th stage of the Giro d’Italia, held over 219 km between Tirano and Canazei on Wednesday:
Stage
1. Pierre Rolland (FRA/CAN) 5hr 42min 56sec, 2. Rui Costa (POR/UAE) at 24secs, 3. Gorka Izagirre (ESP/MOV) same time, 4. Rory Sutherland (AUS/MOV) s.t., 5. Matteo Busato (ITA/WIL) s.t., 6. Dries Devenyns (BEL/QST) s.t., 7. Felix Grosschartner (AUT/CCC) s.t., 8. Omar Fraile (ESP/DDD) s.t., 9. Michael Woods (CAN/CAN) s.t., 10. Julien Bernard (FRA/TRE) s.t.
Selected: 37. Tom Dumoulin (NED/SUN) at 7min 54sec, 40. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/BAH) s.t., 42. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) s.t., 53. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) s.t.
Russian, Azerbaijani Olympic cyclists banned for doping
A pair of Olympic cyclists from Russia and Azerbaijan have been banned for doping by the International Cycling Union.
The UCI says Tatyana Antoshina of Russia was given a four-year ban after testing positive for GHRP-2, which increases growth hormone levels in the body. Antoshina has won various road races around the world and finished 12th in the time trial and 25th in the road race at the 2012 London Olympics.
Maksym Averin of Azerbaijan was given a 15-month ban after testing positive in December for the banned substance meldonium. Averin is a sprinter who competed in the road race at last year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where he failed to finish.
The International Cycling Union has suspended the Soul Brasil Pro Cycling team for the second time because of multiple doping offenses.
The UCI says Soul Brazil cannot compete in international events for 35 days from July 15 to Aug. 19.
When the team was known as Funvic Soul Cycles Carrefour last year, its riders were barred from races for 55 days.
The UCI can suspend teams when at least two riders are caught doping within a one-year period.
The latest cases involve biological passport results for Alex Correia Diniz in 2015 and tampering with a doping sample by Otavio Bulgarelli in 2016.
The UCI says the 35-day ban could have been longer but the doping violations occurred before the first sanction.
