Only two stages are left in the 2011 Giro d'Italia to put an end into a hellish race -even more for Movistar Team, due to non-sporting matters- in which Italian Paolo Tiralongo (AST) took the victory for the penultimate mountain-top finish of the Corsa Rosa.

The ascent to Macugnaga -Cat. 3, but still with 30 kilometers of uphill roads- decided the day’s victory after another thrilling race where the search for the breakaways went again to make fast the first two hours of racing. Movistar Team was again into the decisive moves, but struggled on the slopes of the final climb as Samoilau and Lastras suffered material problems with a puncture and a failure, respectively, when they were making part of the 50-rider group selected after the first part of the climb. Still ahead, David Arroyo had to surrender in the final kilometers but still minimized his loss to only a minute, a short margin counting on the big differences expected for tomorrow in the marathon penultimate ride, with 240 kilometers including the ascents of the terrible Finestre and Sestriere, where the finish line will be located.