Italian road champion relegated after messy sprint

Visconti was relegated to 3rd for his role in the messy sprint finish ©Graham Watson

May 26th, 11. Italian fans' celebrations were short lived after their national road champion was relegated to third place soon after crossing the line first in today's Stage 17 of the Giro d'Italia.

After a long breakaway in today's 230km stage, four riders left their companions behind to battle it out for sprint honours.

It was Giovanni Visconti (Farnese Vini), in his national champion jersey, who crossed the line first, but the action of the day came in the few metres beforehand where Visconti and eventual stage winner Diego Ulissi (Lampre - ISD) had a different kind of battle.

With 300m to go, Ulissi launched his sprint from the back of the group of four riders.  

He powered away from them down the left side of the road.

Visconti crossed from the right side of the road and caught on to Ulissi's wheel before trying to come around him on the inside barriers.  

There was not enough room.

As the gap closed in on him, Visconti pushed Ulissi away, twice - an error which cost him the victory.  The final push moved Ulissi over and the Italian road champion found the room he needed and came across the line in first place.

Visconti on the barriers ©Daniele Badolato - LaPresse

Instead of arms raised in victory, his were raised in frustration towards Ulissi.

Ten minutes after the finish, Giro d'Italia organisers made the call to relegate Visconti to 3rd place behind Ulissi and Pablo Lastras (Movistar).

While they did not get to celebrate their national champion crowned a Giro stage champion, local fans at least still had an Italian winner in Ulissi.

"If I had not moved Ulissi, I would have fallen - but when I did, I lost the race" said Visconti, whose Director Sportif calls the team the moral winner of the stage.  

In the DS's opinion, both riders should have been penalised; Visconti for taking his hands off the handlebar in the sprint and Ulissi for coming too close despite Visconti's screams.

As for Ulissi, he said, "In the sprint, I think that I did no harm and that I deserve the victory.  

"I'm so happy that I can't believe I won a stage in Giro d'Italia. I knew that the stage was suitable for the breakaways, so I paid attention in the first part of the race. I could join a good action, then I managed my energies well."

Back in the main peloton the General Classification riders enjoyed a day without significant attacks in what organisers called a medium mountain stage.  They finished together 2m59s back.

While there were no major attacks to defend, tour leader Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) said the day was still very demanding.

With 3000m of climbing, and Liquigas and Geox working hard to ensure the break did not get a lead large enough to challenge their rider's GC placings, the pace remained high throughout the long stage.

Contador, who leads the tour by almost 5min, said the Giro d'italia is living up to his expectations as a tough tour.

“I was fully prepared because I knew it would be incredibly hard, is the hardest stage race I've done for the parcours, but I'm happy because we have done another stage and each day that passes without falling and no mishaps is to be happy because we are closer to Milan, but still we have to be careful because it remains a lot [left to ride]”.

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