where breakaway rider Ilnur Zakarin took the win. Although the terrain didn’t favor the GC riders, Contador chose to launch an attack on the last hill.
2015 Giro d’Italia: Stage 11 Results
Elaborating on the day, Alberto Contador says he saw some interesting details during his attack on the top of the short, final climb with 6km to go.
“I think every day at the Giro is important. You have to try and get over the bad days and that’s what I made an effort to do. Today it wasn’t the terrain to attack but there were some interesting little details to see, when I accelerated”, says Alberto Contador and adds:
“There wasn’t much terrain to make a move today but I knew that there were a few riders that weren’t having fun. We didn’t see too much but I could tell that there were a few riders who weren’t feeling so great so I decided to have a go”.
In his first grand tour participation, Russian Ilnur Zakarin attacked on the final climb to claim a solo victory in Imola, bringing the 20th win to Team Katusha for the 2015 racing season. At 25, Zakarin showed maturity and strong race tactics as he rode away from his former breakaway companions to steadily gain time on the downhill run to the finish line on the Formula 1 race track, finally holding 53-seconds to his chasers.
– I still can’t believe that I have won a stage of the Giro. I am so happy and excited! Maybe in few days I will realize I’ve earned a big victory. Today we had a plan to go in the breakaway, so we were very attentive in the beginning and I saw my chance and followed other attacks to go in the escape. We worked well in the break, but I remembered my experience from a few days ago when I attacked too early. So I waited until the very best moment this time. Honestly in one moment I thought the peloton would catch us, but it did not happen. So I attacked when we passed Tre Monti for the third time and it worked well. I was able to get a good gap, but the last 10 km were very hard. But I did it! I want to thank all of the team for their support and also Dmitry Konyshev who helped me a lot during the whole stage staying in the car behind me in the break, – said stage winner Ilnur Zakarin.
Images copyright RCS Sport
Ilnur Zakarin del Team Katusha sulla pista dell’autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrri di Imola durante l’undicesima tappa del Giro d’Italia da Forlì a Imola, 20 maggio 2015. ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI
Ilnur Zakarin del Team Katusha sulla pista dell’autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrri di Imola durante l’undicesima tappa del Giro d’Italia da Forlì a Imola, 20 maggio 2015. ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI
Il gruppo dei ciclisti durante l’undicesima tappa del Giro d’Italia da Forlì a Imola, 20 maggio 2015. ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI
Ilnur Zakarin del Team Katusha nel momento dello scatto al GPM durante l’undicesima tappa del Giro d’Italia da Forlì a Imola, 20 maggio 2015. ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI
Il gruppo dei ciclisti durante l’undicesima tappa del Giro d’Italia da Forlì a Imola, 20 maggio 2015. ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI
Il gruppo dei ciclisti durante l’undicesima tappa del Giro d’Italia da Forlì a Imola, 20 maggio 2015. ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI
Alberto contador in maglia rosa per il Team Tinkoff Saxo al passaggio nell’autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola durante l’undicesima tappa del Giro d’Italia da Forlì a Imola, 20 maggio 2015. ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI
I corridori effettuano un passaggio nell’autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola durante l’undicesima tappa del Giro d’Italia da Forlì a Imola, 20 maggio 2015. ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI
Alberto contador in maglia rosa per il Team Tinkoff Saxo nel momento dello scatto al GPM durante l’undicesima tappa del Giro d’Italia da Forlì a Imola, 20 maggio 2015. ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI
Alberto contador in maglia rosa per il Team Tinkoff Saxo nel momento dello scatto al GPM durante l’undicesima tappa del Giro d’Italia da Forlì a Imola, 20 maggio 2015. ANSA/CLAUDIO PERI
Peloton Cafe || 2015 Giro d’Italia Stage 11 – Alberto Contador (image copyright Tinkoff-Saxo)
Peloton Cafe || 2015 Giro d’Italia Stage 11 – Ilnur Zakarin (image copyright Tim de Waele)
