Three riders out of an original six-rider breakaway made it to the finish line and surprised sprint teams in the 157km flat Stage 13 of Giro d'Italia on Friday. Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team, meanwhile, surrounded Maglia Rosa wearer Rigoberto Uran and made sure he arrived safely with the peloton.
Marco Canola (Bardiani-CSF) won the stage, with Jackson Rodriguez (Androni Giocattoli) 2nd, and Angelo Tulik of Team Europcar 3rd.
Alessandro Petacchi was the top finisher for OPQS, placing 21st in the peloton that passed the finish line 11" back from the three leaders. Uran finished 24th.
Uran lost no time in the GC. He leads Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) by 37", and Rafal Majka (Tinkoff-Saxo) by a minute and 52 seconds.
OPQS looks next to a 164km mountain stage on Saturday. This could be one where GC contenders try and challenge Uran, as there is a GPM 2 ascent at kilometer 122.4, and a GPM 1 summit finish in Oropa.
“There are still many days, many stages,” Uran said. “Every day something can happen at the Giro. Sure, yesterday’s time gave me a very good gap in the GC. It means I feel very well. But there is still Pozzovivo, Quintana, Majka, Evans who are there for the overall classification. It’s a big gap, but also a little when when you consider the stages we have coming up and the strength of these riders. Last year the time trials did make a difference in the Grand Tours. One has to be strong in the time trials and on the climbs. Yesterday I did a good race. It’s really what we wanted. For me, and the rest of the team. But every stage means something for me. Being at the Giro means something for me. Wearing the pink jersey, especially as the first Colombian rider, means something special to me. I have so much respect for this race. Tomorrow, we will do the best we can and we will see. My teammates have been great for me and I know I can count on them once again.”
