Dowsett Wins Giro D'Italia Stage 8 Time Trial

Last updated : 11 May 2013 By Covsupport News Service

Movistar's Alex Dowsett won the first individual time trial at the 96th Giro D'Italia today.

A 54.8km course from Gabicce Mare to Saltara was started at 11am local time and saw early starter Maxim Belkov of Katusha set the fastest finish time of 1:27:57 before Movistar's British rider Alex Dowsett finished in a time of 1:16:27.

The time of the British Time Trial champion was proving hard to beat, although Blanco's Stef Clement did get within 32 seconds.

Sir Bradley Wiggins was favourite for the stage and had set off well but a mechanical forced him to change his bike. That meant he was 52 seconds down at the first checkpoint. Wiggins made up time but he finished ten seconds down on Dowsett's time to finish second.

Race leader Benat Intxausti of Movistar was last down the ramp but he was well down on Astana's Vincenzo Nibali, who took the Maglia Rosa jersey with a fourth place finish.

Nibali now leads the race by 29 seconds from Cadel Evans,  1.15 from Blanco's Robert Gesink and 1.16 from Sir Bradley Wiggins.