Giro 2014 Stage 17 report: Pirazzi outsprints his breakaway companions

Stefano Pirazzi won the 17th stage of the Giro d'Italia, attacking the initial 25 man breakaway group and then winning the 5 man sprint at the finish. No major GC changes with the peloton having something of a rest day. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 17th stage Giro 2014

1. Stefano Pirazzi (ita)
2. Tim Wellens (bel) s.t.
3. Jay McCarthy (aus) s.t.
4. Thomas de Gendt (bel) s.t.
5. Matteo Montaguti (ita) s.t
6. Jussi Veikanen (fin) + 0.28
7. Simon Geschke (Ger) s.t.
8. Fabio Felline (ita) s.t.
9. Marco Canola (ita) s.t.
10. Serge Pauwels (bel) s.t.

GC after stage 17
1. Nairo Quintana (col)
2. Rigoberto Uran (col) + 1.41
3. Cadel Evans (aus) + 3.21
4. Pierre Rolland (fra) +3.26
5. Rafal Majka (pol) + 3.28
6. Fabio Aru (ita) + 3.34
7. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) + 3.49
8. Wilco Kelderman (Nld) + 4.06
9. Ryder Hesjedal (can) + 4.16
10. Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) + 8.02

Race report
The pace was high in the first 70 kilometres today with no breakaway forming, but then the peloton split after Thomas De Gendt and Jos van Emden took a flyer. Italian Daniel Oss joined them, but he is not the only one with a group of 25 riders forming.

Present in the group were: Enrico Gasparotto, Matteo Montaguti, Stefano Pirazzi, Nicola Boem, Marco Canola (image), Jos van Emden, Daniel Oss, Oscar Gatto, Johan Le Bon, Jussi Viekkanen, Damiano Cunego, Mattio Bono, Lars Bak, Tim Wellens, Igor Anton, Thomas De Gendt, Serge Pauwels, Davide Malacarne, Simon Geschke, Alberto Losada, Eduard Vorganov, Philip Deignan, Evgeni Petrov, Jay McCarthy, Marco Frapporti and Fabio Felline.

The gap grew quickly, building to 12 minutes with a disinterested peloton seemingly willing to let them go and contest the stage.

With 30 kilometres remaining, De Gendt attack. At the the foot of the short and steep Muro di Ca’ del Poggio he had a 30 second gap over his companions but was joined at the summit by Pirazzi.

The duo were soon joined by Montaguti, McCarthy and Wellens and the 5 rode off in search of a stage win.

With no known sprinters in the group, it was difficult to predict the winner. Pirazzi lead out, De Gendt repsponded but was too late and the Italian took the stage win.