Liquigas gets a win thanks to Capecchi

Capecchi wins the three man sprint ©Gian Mattia D'Alberto - LaPresse

May 27th, 11. Eros Capecchi earned the victory after today's super fast 151km Stage 18 of the Giro d'Italia where the peloton averaged over 50kph in the first two hours.

Capecchi (Liquigas), Marco Pinotti (HTC Highroad) and Kevin Seeldraeyers (Quickstep) were the best of the day's 20 rider breakaway which formed on the final 50km of the day.

For the first two hours of the stage the peloton stayed together, denying any riders the opportunity to stay ahead of the bunch.  

With 53km covered in the first hour, and a similar amount covered in the second, the day was much harder than the profile suggested.

Up the climb of Passo del Ganda the lead group shattered, leaving only the trio to contest the final 30km downhill run to the finish line.

Contador remains in control of the maglia rosa ©Daniele Badolato - LaPresse

With 250m to go it was Pinotti who made the first moved and started the sprint, but Capecchi came from behind to steal the win. Seeldrayers finished third. 

The 24 year old, who is back in Liquigas after a three year break, was delighted with the win - the first for his team in this Giro.

Behind the leading trio, the first of their breakaway companions finished 1m20s behind and the main General Classification contenders came home +6m04s.

The final three days of the 2011 Giro d'Italia see the peloton face two more high mountain stages with mountain top finishes and the excitement of the final day's individual time trial in Milan.

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