Giro d’Italia: XDS Astana Team secures double win in stage 16
Stage 16 of the Giro d’Italia, which opened the final week of the Italian Grand Tour, ended in a double triumph for XDS Astana Team: Christian Scaroni claimed the stage win, while the King of the Mountains leader, Lorenzo Fortunato, finished second, Kazinform News Agency has learnt from the team’s official website.
The stage, ending in San Valentino, was the first truly mountainous stage of this year’s Giro – over a 203 km course, the riders tackled four major climbs, including an 18-km summit finish.
Three XDS Astana Team riders – Lorenzo Fortunato, Christian Scaroni, and Fausto Masnada – made it into the breakaway after attacking on the day’s first climb, the Carbonare. On the way to the finish, Fortunato won all the mountain primes, significantly strengthening his lead in the King of the Mountains classification. On the final climb, attacks from first Scaroni and then Fortunato proved decisive – the two XDS Astana Team riders dropped all their rivals and finished together, securing a brilliant one-two victory.
I’m still trying to realize that we won today! It was an amazing day for the whole team. We worked perfectly from the start, got into the breakaway at the right time, and did a lot of work at the front to help Lorenzo (Fortunato) score maximum points for the mountain classification. It was a really tough stage – long climbs don’t suit me much – but together with my teammates we executed the perfect strategy. On the final climb, Lorenzo and I attacked at the right moment and ended up alone. I want to thank Lorenzo especially for this stage and this victory. We won it together! I dedicate this win to the whole XDS Astana Team, my family, and my girlfriend, said Christian Scaroni.
Earlier it was reported that XDS Astana's Ludovico Mellano had won the Ronde de L’Isard Stage 3.
