May 22/12 21:44 pm - Giro d'Italia: Stage 16 report and results

Posted by Editoress on 05/22/12
 

Basque rider Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Euskaltel-Euskadi) attacked from the breakaway on the last climb of the stage to win alone in Falzes.

Izaguirre Insausti finished 16 seconds ahead of Italy’s Alessandro De Marchi (Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela) and the Netherland’s Stef Clement (Rabobank Cycling Team).

Spain’s Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha Team) finished in the main peloton, 8:57 behind but retained the overall race lead.

Izaguirre Insausti said: “I’ve won a stage at the Vuelta a Asturias but this is my first stage win in a grand tour.”

“I come from a family of cyclists, there’s a long tradition of cycling in my family. My dad did cyclocross but wasn’t a professional, while my brother is a professional too. But he’s bigger and stronger than me; I’m more of a climber. This is my second season as a professional but this is my first big win. I think winning a stage in the third week of the Giro d’Italia means I’m a good stage racer, who can recover well.”

“There’s no real alliance with the Katusha team and Rodriguez. We’ve got Mikel Nieve who is strong and doing well overall.  We’ll be doing all we can to help him.”

Rodriguez said: “It was a nice finish and if someone had attacked, I’d have attacked too. But the Giro is tough and long. I’m in a privileged position (as race leader) and so I don’t think I’m the one who had to attack.” 

“Things will be different tomorrow, it’s a stage where you can gain time. There’s a lot of talk about the descent but I think there will be a lot of attacks on the climbs.  This Giro d’Italia will be won on the climbs not on the descents but whoever suffers on the climbs will then suffer on the descents.”  

“I think the Liquigas team will make the race hard tomorrow because they’ve got the riders to do it and that style of riding suits Basso.”

Rodriguez will wear the race leader’s pink jersey during Wednesday’s 186km 17th stage from Falzes/Pfalzen to Cortina d’Ampezzo.