Hesjedal climbs to 21st in Giro d’Italia standings
It is in the vertical stages when Ryder Hesjedal’s cycling truly becomes animated. The Victoria pro showed again Thursday why he is such a noted climber by placing 15th in the first major ascent of the 2016 Giro d’Italia.
The Colwood-raised Hesjedal finished one minute and 43 seconds behind winner Tim Wellens of Lotto Soudal in the 165-kilometre sixth stage from Ponte to Roccaraso. Like Hesjedal, the Belgian Wellens got his start as a mountain bike racer.
Hesjedal moved to 21st in the overall Giro standings, 1:28 in arrears of pink-jersey clad leading Dutch rider Tom Dumoulin from the Giant-Alpecin team.
“I am definitely happy with the day. It was a pretty hard day,” said Hesjedal, in a statement released through his Trek Segafredo team.
“There were bad conditions on the long descent, earlier with the rain, and I could feel the tension building on a day like this, obviously, with a mountain-top finish like that . . . the first real one of the race.”
The self-effacing Islander, the 2012 Giro champion and fifth last year, deflected the credit to his Trek teammates.
“The team was excellent in taking care of me and putting me in a good position ahead of the last climb,” said the Belmont grad, a three-time Olympian for Canada.
“I was able to ride smart and more or less able to stay with everyone, minus a few. I felt like I was riding well. It’s still early in the race for me, so to get through a day like this, is a good sign.”
Today’s 210-kilometre seventh stage, from Sulmona to Foligno, is hilly but not mountainous.
The 21-stage, 3,383-kilometre 2016 Giro concludes May 29.