Lively stage finale in Hainan, Team Polti VisitMalta makes its presence felt

It was an animated finale today at the Tour of Hainan. After helping control a breakaway quartet for most of the second stage, Team Polti VisitMalta joined the action with Diego Sevilla, who got into an eight-man counterattack that stayed out front from 16 to 8 kilometres to go. In the run-in to the finish, Andrea Pietrobon led out Manuel Peñalver, who sprinted to 7th place — after taking 11th yesterday — in a fast finish won by Rajovic (Solution Tech).

Peñalver: “I’m happy with this top-10 in a tricky sprint, tackled downhill at 80 km/h, and with legs that keep getting better and better, allowing me — and us — to aim even higher!”

Sports director Giovanni Ellena: “The guys did a great job staying up front when the bunch split on the day’s only climb. That sharpness was then confirmed by Sevilla making it into the counterattack and by how we reorganised our lead-out on the fly when our designated last man Fran Muñoz crashed (luckily without consequences) two kilometres from the line. These first racedays have sharpened our form and tomorrow we’ll be ready for the hardest one.”