Tonelli, super combative in Albania, will restart from Italy wearing the cyclamen jersey

On this Sunday marking the end of the Giro d’Italia’s Albanian start, Alessandro Tonelli fully honors the red bib number for combativity he earned in the opening stage: after a long chase he joins a six-men breakaway and spends over 120 kilometers in front, taking first and second place in the two intermediate sprints. This effort lifts him to 2nd place in the points classification and when the race resumes in Italy on Tuesday he’ll wear the cyclamen jersey in place of Pedersen, who today reclaimed the maglia rosa with another win.

Caught at the summit of the day’s main KOM — a full loop around mount Maja Qores before returning to the sea — the experienced Team Polti VisitMalta rider didn’t let go: in the final 40 km of descent and flat terrain he stayed alongside Davide Piganzoli, who finished among the best and moved up one spot in the GC.

Tonelli: “I hit the goals we had set with the sports directors, I’m happy to have helped showcase the team and kept Piganzoli safe from any risk”.

Stefano Zanatta: “I congratulate our breakaway rider, whose huge effort was rewarded in a move featuring top-level athletes like yesterday’s winner Tarling, and I commend all the guys who worked together and fulfilled their roles with dedication”.