With their legs in the competition and their mind and soul in the drama lived by all the environment of Xavi Tondo, Movistar Team returned into racing manners today in the 2011 Giro d'Italia. The telephone squad performed fine in the 16th stage of the Corsa Rosa, a 12.5km uphill ITT from Belluno to Nevegal where race leader Alberto Contador (SBS) increased his lead in the race with a second victory that he dedicated to the perished Catalan rider.

Movistar Team-wise, it was a brilliant day for Belarusian Branislau Samoilau, in growing form since he started the Giro to bring the best time on course for most of the day, an eventual 9th to hobnob within the best specialists in the world, just like his fellow countryman Kiryienka, initially not set to contest the stage and taking a top-20 that keeps Movistar Team on the fight for the teams’ overall. The telephone squad’s leader David Arroyo lost a bit more time and sits now 11th in the provisional ranking, with five stages ahead: a long ride tomorrow; a bit shorter one to San Pellegrino Terme on Thursday; two big mountain stages on Friday and Saturday; and Milano’s final ITT on Sunday.