Caruso 5th on Stage 17 and remains 2nd in GC.

Stage 17 was another high mountain stage from Canazei to Sega di Ala, running 193km long climbing 3,400 vertical meters. The stage started off relatively easy until the category one climb of Passo San Valentino, followed by the technical descent to Chizzola, finished with another category one climb up to Sega di Ala.

After several attempts, a breakaway eventually formed of nearly 20 riders gaining over five minutes from the breakaway. As the group approached Passo San Valentino, the pace picked up as the peloton started to bridge the gap to the break and reduce the size of the group.

On the final climb up to the finish, only Dan Martin (Israel Start-Up Nation) managed to stay away from the GC contenders to win the stage, with Damiano Caruso maintaining second in the GC and finishing fifth on the stage.

Giro d’Italia 2021 – 104th Edition – 17th stage Canazei – Sega di Ala 193 km – 26/05/2021 – Damiano Caruso (ITA – Bahrain Victorious) – photo Ilario Biondi/BettiniPhoto©2021

Damiano Caruso was pleased with his performance: “Today was one of the hardest stages of this Giro. The last hour and a half was really full gas, especially the last climb, which was super hard, and as I expected, Yates attacked, and he made the difference on the last climb. But I felt good, and even then, I kept my tempo to the finish, and the gap was quite okay and under control.

Well, I couldn’t follow him, so, in any case, I didn’t have any options left but to keep my tempo. Then when I saw the Maglia Rosa, Bernal, suffering like me, my morale went up because I realized that it is really hard for all of us at this moment”.

Egan Bernal leads in the General Classification, and Damiano Caruso is now 2:21 behind, with Simon Yates climbing to third place, 3:23 behind the Maglia Rosa.

(All pictures can be used for editorial and non-commercial usages only and are copyright @Bettiniphoto @TeamBahrainVictorious)

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