Lawks-a-mercy, the Giro served up yet another day of superb racing! The start was brutal, the breakaway was intriguing, the chase furious and the finale on the 13 km Campitello Matese was edge-of-your-seat OMG! Movistar’s Benat Intxausti played a blinder, bluffing on the wheels of his companions until he delivered a stinging attack and soloed in for a fabulous win. Alberto Contador chased down attack after attack to stay in the maglia rosa.
It’s October, the nights are drawing in, and the beautiful Race of the Falling Leaves is a but a fond memory. This can only mean one thing. Yes the Tour of Beijing is upon us, and with it the official end of the WorldTour race calendar.
Spurred on by a partisan crowd, Rafal Majka put the icing on the cake of his exploits at the Giro and the Tour with a race-winning performance at his home tour that mixed flair and grit in equal measure. His climbing prowess propelled him into the overall lead before today’s final time trial stage, but it was his dogged determination which brought him to overall victory by just eight seconds.