Giro del Trentino (st. 3)

Basque climber finishes 5th in Roncone after progressive pace through the Muro di Roncone, sits in 4th overall before Monte Bondone showdown. Evans (BMC) strengthens race lead

Following his 9th place finish yesterday in the long ascent towards San Giacomo di Brentonico, Igor Antón confirmed his great form leading up to the Giro d’Italia in a different type of climb, steeper and more suited to him. The Basque rider from Movistar Team took 5th on stage three of the Giro del Trentino, a 184km trek starting at Mori and finishing atop Roncone (Cat-2) after the Daone (Cat-2) and Durone (Cat-1) summits.

Adriano Malori was the first of the Blues to make the front, entering a twelve-man break which stayed together until the Durone, where the maximum, four-minute gap fell to 1’30” and the Italian rouleur from the telephone squad got dropped. The attempt was caught on the foot of the last section of Roncone, the ‘Muro’, almost 3k with slopes soaring up to 15%. The race leader and eventual stage winner, Cadel Evans (BMC) went away in the beginning of the ascent with Pozzovivo (ALM), Landa, Scarponi (AST) and Bongiorno (BAR). Despite Antón not making that selection, the Galdakao-based rider kept his own pace, reached the youngest of the Italians and came across the finish just after Scarponi, 20″ down.

The overall standings predict a close fight for 3rd place, with current holder Machado (+59″), Igor (4th, +1’01”), Aru, Niemiec, Duarte, Zardini and Scarponi all within ten seconds’ difference. Friday’s showdown will take the riders to the legendary Monte Bondone (HC, 21km at more than 6% avg.), whose slopes will witness the end of another demanding, 175km route also featuring the Campo Magno (Cat-1) and the Roncador (Cat-2).