Ilnur Zakarin of Katusha has won the eleventh stage of the Giro D'Italia.
Alberto Contador was still leading the race ahead of Fabio Aru for a stage of 153kms from Forlì to the motor racing circuit at Imola (Autodromo Ferrari).
With talk still going on about the two minute penalties handed out for a piece of sportsmanship by Simon Clarke to lend Richie Porte, who said he was shocked and unaware of the rules, a wheel after a mechanical late on stage ten, the riders were all together for the first intermediate sprint of the day which was won by Giacomo Nizzolo ahead of Team Sky's Elia Viviani and Stage Ten winner Nicola Boem, who was in the red jersey.
Beñat Intxausti of Movistar and LottoNL-Jumbo rider Steven Kruijswijk were in a break which finally saw Carlos Betancur, Matteo Montaguti (Ag2r La Mondiale), Franco Pellizotti (Androni - Sidermec), Diego Rosa (Astana), Marek Rutkiewicz (CCC Sprandi), Ruben Fernandez (Movistar), Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale - Garmin) and Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) join them.
They got two minutes clear on a day where the rain was starting to come down and 3.02 after 56kms.
On wet roads, the lead went out to 3.43 with 83 kilometres left of a stage which was up and down all day.
On the third category Valico del Prugrio, Carlos Betancur took the points ahead of Intxausti and Krujswijk.
It was then onto the intermediate sprint with 72kms to go as splits started to form in the peloton with Rigoberto Uran one who was distanced.
There was three 15.45km laps of Imola including a category four Tre Monti climb and laps around the motor racing circuit.
With 44.3kms left, the gap was down to 49 seconds after the ten escapers, with Fernandez dropped, went over the finish line for the first time.
Only seven riders in Betancur, Hesjedal, Intxausti, Kruijswijk, Pellizotti, Rosa and Zakarin were left up front as the gap went back out to 1.31.
There was just twenty three kilometres left when Zakarin of Katusha took the points on the Tre Monti climb.
Zakarin was away and took the bell to start the last lap first. Behind him on wet roads, Rigoberto Uran went down. The former Rusvelo rider extended his lead to a minute and away he went to win in 3.55.07.
Carlos Betancur finished second, 53 seconds behind with Franco Pellizzotti third, followed by Intxausti, Rosa, Kruijswijk, Hesjedal, Paterski, Gilbert and Lobato.
Alberto Contador continues to lead the race.
Source: DSG
