Beaten in the first stage, the Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec rider takes a double revenge: stage victory and Maglia Rossa e Gialla.
After second place on the stage 1 Milazzo finish, Manuel Belletti (Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec) took his revenge on stage 2 at the finish line in Palermo, beating yesterday’s winner Riccardo Stacchiotti (Giotti Victoria – Palomar). Third on today’s stage podium was Juan Sebastian Molano. Belletti also wears the Maglia Rossa e Gialla of the GC leader: he has equal times and placements with Stacchiotti, and is the most recent stage winner.
Before the quick finish in the capital of the Sicilian Region, the second section of the stage had been animated by a long five-man escape made up of Viesturs Luksevics (A&V Prodir), Diego Pablo Sevilla (Kometa), Andreas Kron (Riwal Readynez), Andrea Toniatti (Team Colpack) and Antonio Di Sante (Sangemini Trevigiani), who were brought back to the peloton with as little as 7km remaining to the finish line. In the final run-in, a number of teams took to the front to put their sprinters in the best possible position.
The race was temporarily neutralized from km 110 to km 125 along the descent after the GPM of Geraci Siculo, to ensure the riders’ safety, given the adverse weather conditions. The final distance of the stage therefore became 219km compared to the 234km previously reported.
STAGE RESULT
1 – Manuel Belletti (Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec) 219km in 5h59’16”, average speed 36.575kph
2 – Riccardo Stacchiotti (Giotti Victoria) s.t.
3 – Juan Sebastián Molano Benavides (UAE Team Emirates) s.t.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Manuel Belletti (Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec)
2 – Riccardo Stacchiotti (Giotti Victoria) s.t.
3 – Juan Sebastián Molano Benavides (UAE Team Emirates) at 12″
JERSEYS
Maglia Rossa e Gialla (red and yellow), general classification leader, sponsored by the Sicilian Region – Manuel Belletti (Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec)
Maglia Arancione (orange), sprinter classification leader, sponsored by NamedSport – Manuel Belletti (Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec) – jersey worn tomorrow by Riccardo Stacchiotti (Giotti Victoria)
Maglia Verde Pistacchio (pistacchio green), King of the Mountains classification leader, sponsored by Cantine Cellario – Isaac Canton Serrano (Kometa Cycling Team)
Maglia Bianca (white), young rider general classification leader, sponsored by the Ufficio Nazionale Israeliano del Turismo – citiesbreak.com – Juan Sebastián Molano Benavides (UAE Team Emirates)
