Downing keeps dream of Grand Tour stage win alive

Sky's Russell Downing raced for his dream, a win, today in the Giro d'Italia's leg to San Pellegrino Terme near Bergamo. He failed, but it's his first Grand Tour and he wants to have another go.

"Yeah, definitely," Downing told Cycling Weekly. "Even here at the Giro, I didn't just come here to make the numbers, I came here to have a pop at a stage."

His pop came via a 20-man escape formed in the heart of Bergamo northern Italy. He rode at the front on the cobbled climb into the upper city and jumped clear with local rider Marco Pinotti (HTC-Highroad).

"It went over the top," he added. "I was able to go with it."

The group drilled it towards the Passo di Ganda climb and whittled down to six, including Downing. Downing, though, lost ground to the better climbers on the Ganda. Instead of forcing himself, he rode at his own pace and joined the remnants of the escape group.

Italian Eros Capecchi (Liquigas) won ahead of Pinotti. Downing, arrived into the town famous for its sparkling water in a group of 10 and won the sprint for eighth. Though it's his first Grand Tour, he's not surprised by his potential to win a Grand Tour stage - he's 32 years old and knows his abilities.

"I know how hard I can punish myself when I ride," he said. "I ride better when I am tired really. I had a bad day yesterday and today, I knew, it could only get better - and it did.

"I was really looking forward to it [today], I wanted to just pick a day."

Sky will likely leave Downing out of its nine-man Tour de France team. Downing may participate in the Vuelta a España, but believes its more likely he'll have his second chance for a Grand Tour stage win next year.

"It took me ten years to get here now, and I am not going to quit now," he continued. "The Vuelta? I don't know about that, two in on year, that's kind of crazy, but we'll see."

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Giro d'Italia 2011: Stage reports

Stage 18: Capecchi takes Giro stage win as contenders take day off

Stage 17: Ulissi prevails in controversial Giro sprint

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