Giro di Sicilia: Albanese finishes fifth at Termini Imerese

Another place of honour for Vincenzo Albanese in the tricky and hard finish of the third stage of the Giro di Sicilia. The whole team worked together again, although Suter (Tudor) managed to reach the finish line on top, while a fall in the final metres affected Alba. His fifth position consolidates his leader jersey of the regularity while in the overall he remains second, 6 seconds behind the leader.

150 kilometres, a favourable second half of the stage and the hard ramps with 180-degree turns in the last kilometre. A scenario that once again called the strength of Vincenzo Albanese, and this was demonstrated by EOLO KOMETA with Samuele Rivi, Mirco Maestri and the others leading and trying to reduce the advantage of the breakaway. A breakaway that was breaking up and in which Suter was the only one left. The Swiss time trial champion put all his energy into maintaining the advantage and withstanding the attacks of the favourites on the climb to Termini Imerese. A few seconds and a crash deprived Albanese of the chance to get the win.

It wasthat fall that stopped Alba’s final attack, who wanted to go for the win, but was closed and did not manage to gain seconds in the general classification. A pity that does not change his great week in Sicily, even with the queen stage, the decisive one, the final one, to be held tomorrow.

Stefano Zanatta: “Today we thought that the breakaway could arrive, with the general classification so open and with such a demanding day. The last 60 kilometres we had talked about trying to control, to be able to work to neutralise the breakaway and place Albanese. But then on the last climb to the finish, on the last corner, they fell in front of him and although he was able to avoid the crash, he lost the pace because he had to slow down a bit. I think we have worked well, and we are confident that we can improve the classification tomorrow and fight for the stage with Fetter and the overall with Alba”.

This Friday, the Giro di Sicilia will be finishing with the main course. 216 kilometres, three very hard climbs including Etna and Culmine di Scorciavacca, as well as the last 20 kilometres downhill to Giarre with a final climb. There is still plenty of room to win the stage, the overall and leave this competition with the best taste in their mouths.