Ulissi prevails in controversial Giro sprint

Sprint, Giro d'Italia 2011, stage 17

Giro d'Italia 2011, stage 17 photo gallery by Graham Watson>>

Diego Ulissi (Lampre-ISD) took the 2011 Giro d'Italia's 17th stage on Wednesday afternoon by clinching a controversial four-up sprint into Tirano.

As Ulissi led the sprint out down the barriers, Italian champion Giovanni Visconti (Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli) tried to squeeze through the tiny gap down the inside, landing two meaty shoves on Ulissi's lower back to succesfully bludgeon his way through.

The pair even had time to exchange momentary glances and angry hand gestures in the final 50 metres before resuming their sprints for the line.

Visconti crossed it first, but he was quickly declassified to third, behind Ulissi and second-placed Pablo Lastras (Movistar).

On a middle mountain stage through the Dolomites, they were the strongest of the day's fifteen-up breakaway, which also included first-week frontrunners Christophe Le Mevel (Garmin-Cervelo) and Kanstantin Sivtsov (HTC-Highroad).

Although today's 230km route between Feltre and Tirano included the high Passo Tonale, the favourites agreed a ceasefire, content to leave the running to the large escape after several days exchanging blows in more gruelling Dolomite stages.

Following a fast descent off the final climb up to Aprica, Visconti, Lastras, Ulissi and Jan Bakelants (Omega Pharma-Lotto) separated themselves from their fellow fugitives with four kilometres to go.

After an ugly sprint, it was 21 year old Ulissi raising his hands - a lot more peacefully than rival Visconti had done in the sprint - on the podium after the biggest win of his career.

Results

Giro d'Italia 2011, stage 17: Feltre-Tirano

1. Diego Ulissi (Ita) Lampre-ISD 230 kilometres in 5-31-51

2. Pablo Lastras (Spa) Movistar

3. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli at same time

4. Jan Bakelants (Bel) Omega Pharma-Lotto at 4 secs

5. Fabio Taborre (Ita) Acqua & Sapone at 8 secs

6. Edouard Vorganov (Rus) Katusha

7. Hubert Dupont (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale

8. Jesus Hernandez (Spa) Saxo Bank-Sungard

9. Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Astana at same time

10. Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Blr) HTC-Highroad at 10 secs

General classification after stage 17

1. Alberto Contador (Spa) Saxo Bank-Sungard

2. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-ISD at 4-58

3. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 5-45

4. John Gadret (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale at 7-35

5. Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Blr) HTC-Highroad at 9-12

6. Jose Rujano Guillen (Ven) Androni Giocattoli at 8-18

7. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 9-22

8. Denis Menchov (Rus) Geox-TMC at 9-38

9. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana at 9-47

10. Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha at 10-25

Other

75. Peter Kennaugh (GB) Sky at 1-49-14

94. David Millar (GB) Garmin-Cervelo at 2-09-12

150. Russell Downing (GB) Sky at 3-04-46

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Russell Downing, Giro d

Russell Downing

Alberto Contador, Giro d

Race leader Alberto Contador

Jan Bakelants, Giro d

Jan Bakelants heads the escape group

Sprint, Giro d

Stage 17's final sprint outcome was decided by the race commissaires after a bit of a tussle between the riders



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Giro news shorts (May 8)

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Giro 2011: Who will win?

Giro d'Italia 2011: Stage reports

Stage 16: Contador lords it over the rest in Giro TT

Stage 15: Nieve wins mountain marathon as Contador continues at the top

Stage 14: Anton conquers Zoncolan in shortened stage

Stage 13: Contador consolidates Giro overall as Rujano takes stage

Stage 12: Cavendish holds off Appollonio to take second victory

Stage 11: Gadret grabs dramatic stage win

Stage 10: Cavendish opens his Giro account

Stage nine: Contador storms Etna to take Giro lead

Stage eight: Gatto springs late attack to take win

Stage seven: Neo-pro De Clercq wins by a whisker

Stage six: Ventoso steals Giro stage six win

Stage five: Weening holds on to take stage and maglia rosa

Stage four: Tearful Farrar and Leopard-Trek lead riders across stage four finish line

Stage three: Vicioso victory overshadowed by Weylandt crash

Stage two: Petacchi wins as Cavendish takes lead

Stage one: HTC-Highroad wins Giro's opening team time trial

Giro d'Italia 2011: Photo galleries

Stage 17 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 16 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 15 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 14 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 13 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 12 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 11 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 10 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage nine photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage eight photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage seven photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage six photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage five photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage four photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage three photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage two photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage one photo gallery by Graham Watson

Giro d'Italia 2011: Live text coverage

Giro d'Italia stage 16 live text updates

Giro d'Italia 2011 stage 13 live text updates

Giro d'Italia 2011 stage 11 live text updates

Giro d'Italia 2011 stage seven live text updates

Giro d'Italia 2011 stage five live text updates

Follow the 2011 Giro d'Italia live with Cycling Weekly

Giro d'Italia 2011: Start list

Giro d'Italia 2011: Start list

Giro d'Italia 2011: TV schedule

Giro d'Italia 2011: British Eurosport TV schedule

Related links

Giro d'Italia 2010: Cycling Weekly's coverage index

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