Capecchi takes Giro stage win as contenders take day off

Giro d'Italia 2011 stage 18 photo gallery by Graham Watson>>

Eros Capecchi took the biggest win of his career in San Pellegrino Terme today in what could have been the slowest sprint he's ever contested.

Capecchi (Liquigas) was up against time trial specialist Marco Pinotti (HTC-Highroad) and climber Kevin Seeldraeyers (Quick Step) in a three-up sprint at the end of a 151km stage, the second shortest in the race. It wasn't pretty, or particularly impressive, but it didn't stop Capecchi celebrating.

The 24-year-old has only won three races in his career, a stage and the overall of the Euskal Bizikleta (2008) and a stage of Settimana Lombardia in 2007, so a Giro stage was worth shouting about.

The trio that contested the finish had dropped their breakaway companions on the Passo di Ganda, a 9.2km climb towards the end of stage. Unfortunately for British fans one of those dropped was Russell Downing. Riding his first Grand Tour, and perhaps having singled out this stage as a possible breakaway stage, Downing was tailed off on the lower slopes of the Passo di Ganda.

The Brit was picked up by the remnants of the original 20-strong escape group and managed to then win the sprint for eighth. Perhaps surprising some of the others in the group, Downing gave it everything in the sprint.

With just two more mountain stages and a time trial to come, Downing seized his last chance to take a top ten placing, still managing to find the motivation after the disappointment of missing out on the stage win. His sprint proved that the leaders had been right to get rid of him on the Ganda. Had they not he would have easily taken the stage win.

But it was frustrating nonetheless as Downing had done the hard work by getting in the break. Today's transitional stage had half the peloton looking to get in break, and as a result it didn't form until kilometre 67 as group after group got pulled back. They covered 53km in the first hour alone.

Nothing changed in the overall as Saxo Bank and Lampre did much of the work to pull the bunch along. They showed no interest in bringing the break back, just keeping a respectable gap. In the end, it was about six minutes.

For Contador the biggest news of the day came from an office in Switzerland. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced they would postpone his June hearing which may well see him take the start of the Tour de France in July.

Disastrous news for the race, but good news for the Spaniard.

RESULTS

Giro d'Italia 2011, stage 18: Morbegno to San Pellegrino Terme

1. Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 151km in 3-20-38

2. Marco Pinotti (Ita) HTC-Highroad

3. Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step at same time

4. Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Colnago CSF Inox

5. Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana at 1-20 min

6. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Quick Step at 2-49 min

7. Alberto Losada (Spa) Katusha at 3-46 min

8. Russell Downing (GB) Team Sky

9. Oscar Gatto (Ita) Farnese-Vini

10. Jan Bakelants (Bel) Omega Pharma Lotto at 4-34 min

General classification after stage 18

1. Alberto Contador (Spa) SaxoBank 71-45-09

2. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-ISD at 4-58

3. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 5-54

4. John Gadret (Fra) Ag2r La Mondiale at 7-35

5. Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Blr) HTC-Highroad at 9-12

6. Jose Rujano (Ven) Androni Giocattoli at 9-18

7. Mikel Nieve (Spa) Euskalte-Euskadi at 9-22

8. Denis Menchov (Rus) Geox - TMC at 9-38

9. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana at 9-47

10. Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha at 10-25

Race leader Alberto Contador checks his bike at the start

Russell Downing finished eighth

Kevin Seeldraeyers and Marco Pinotti head the break

Eros Capecchi takes the stage win

Giro d'Italia 2011: Latest news

Giro changes again as final Milan time trial shortened

What riding the Giro has done for Peter Kennaugh

Millar's time trial practice run

Nibali gives up hope for Giro d'Italia win

Contador ignores Armstrong doping investigation

Giro d'Italia News Shorts (May 24)

Controversial Crostis climb removed from Giro route

Sky leader Lofkvist loses more time at the Giro

Giro contenders struggle with Contador's dominance

Contador widens Giro advantage but Tour doping case waits

Porte reflects, one year after Giro success

Le Mevel goes on attack for Giro's pink jersey

Giro fines Contador for missing press conference

Cavendish responds to 'team car' accusations at Giro

Giro d'Italia News Shorts (May 15)

Giro's Sicilian cyclists proud to face Mount Etna

Contador surprises at Giro with attack ahead of mountains

Contador minds food at Giro as CAS decision nears

Weening supported by Rabobank and model Kroes

Local lad Appollonio bears fruit in Fiuggi

Giro d'Italia News Shorts (May 12 edition)

Blythe finding way in second Grand Tour

Leopard-Trek withdraws from Giro d'Italia

Leopard-Trek uncertain to continue in Giro

Tuesday's Giro stage in memory of Weylandt

Giro doctor describes actions to save Weylandt

Wouter Weylandt killed in Giro crash

Giro news shorts (May 8)

Cavendish likely to take Giro lead tomorrow

Giro 2011: Who will win?

Giro d'Italia 2011: Stage reports

Stage 17: Ulissi prevails in controversial Giro sprint

Stage 16: Contador lords it over the rest in Giro TT

Stage 15: Nieve wins mountain marathon as Contador continues at the top

Stage 14: Anton conquers Zoncolan in shortened stage

Stage 13: Contador consolidates Giro overall as Rujano takes stage

Stage 12: Cavendish holds off Appollonio to take second victory

Stage 11: Gadret grabs dramatic stage win

Stage 10: Cavendish opens his Giro account

Stage nine: Contador storms Etna to take Giro lead

Stage eight: Gatto springs late attack to take win

Stage seven: Neo-pro De Clercq wins by a whisker

Stage six: Ventoso steals Giro stage six win

Stage five: Weening holds on to take stage and maglia rosa

Stage four: Tearful Farrar and Leopard-Trek lead riders across stage four finish line

Stage three: Vicioso victory overshadowed by Weylandt crash

Stage two: Petacchi wins as Cavendish takes lead

Stage one: HTC-Highroad wins Giro's opening team time trial

Giro d'Italia 2011: Photo galleries

Stage 17 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 16 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 15 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 14 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 13 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 12 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 11 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage 10 photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage nine photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage eight photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage seven photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage six photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage five photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage four photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage three photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage two photo gallery by Graham Watson

Stage one photo gallery by Graham Watson

Giro d'Italia 2011: Live text coverage

Giro d'Italia stage 16 live text updates

Giro d'Italia 2011 stage 13 live text updates

Giro d'Italia 2011 stage 11 live text updates

Giro d'Italia 2011 stage seven live text updates

Giro d'Italia 2011 stage five live text updates

Follow the 2011 Giro d'Italia live with Cycling Weekly

Giro d'Italia 2011: Start list

Giro d'Italia 2011: Start list

Giro d'Italia 2011: TV schedule

Giro d'Italia 2011: British Eurosport TV schedule

Related links

Giro d'Italia 2010: Cycling Weekly's coverage index