BMC Philippe Gilbert has taken victory on stage eighteen of the Giro D'Italia.
With Tinkoff Saxo's Alberto Contador sitting very pretty in the maglia rosa jersey with a lead of over four minutes, today was a day in the medium mountains on a 170km stage from Melide to Verbania, which saw the race depart Switzerland and return to Italy.
Over forty four kilometres had been ridden before there was a break which included Philippe Gilbert (BMC), Amael Moinard (BMC), Chad Haga (Giant Alpecin), Davide Villella (Cannondale Garmin), Matteo Busato (SouthEast), Pieter Weening (Orica GreenEdge), Sylvain Chavanel (IAM), David De La Cruz (Etixx - Quick Step), Francesco Manuel Bongiorno (Bardiani CSF), Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2r La Mondiale), Maxim Belkov (Katusha),Kantastsin Siutsou (Team Sky), Roberto Ferrari (Lampre Merida), Jesus Herrada (Movistar) and Fabio Felline (Trek) and Damiano Cunego (Nippo Fantini), and Amael Moinard (BMC), which soon had a break of two minutes.
However, a crash saw Cunego and Ferrari drop out of the front group to leave twelve up front. Cunego was forced to abandon not only the group which was not 6.35 ahead but the race as well.
Those left in the front group were able to extend their lead to eleven minutes before Gilbert took the points for the intermediate sprint.
With 54.4kms left, the gap was up to 12.43 but down to 11.42 when there was a big crash which took down most of the Team Sky team.
Onto the day's climb - the category one Monte Ologno, which was ten kilometres long with ramps around 9%, only Bongiorno, Gilbert, Siutsou, Nocentini and De La Cruz were left.
Lobato of Movistar crashed on a bend which Alberto Contador flew past, charging after the five out front, despite being more than nine minutes behind and Landa held up by a crash.
Contador had put a minute into Landa with 39 kilometres to go. Three kilometres later and Contador had a slight mechanical but thanks to a quick working mechanic was able to get on his way quickly.
Bongiorno took the points on the climb as he Siutsou, Moinard and De La Cruz pressed on with a lead of 7.40 over Contador who was being persued by Ryder Hesjedal of Cannondale-Garmin.
Contador had now put 5.40 into Mike Landa whilst up the road, a group containing Gilbert and Nocentini caught up to the four up front to form a group of eight.
Philippe Gilbert went off the front with just over sixteen kilometres left and ten kilometres later, there was a smile on his face as he was out of sight of the chasers who were marking each other on a lovely sunny day, watched by big crowds.
Bongiorno launched an attack with 1.8kms to go but Gilbert shot under the flam rouge and rode away to take his second stage in this race with a win in 4.04.14 in style.
Bongiorno took second place, some forty seven seconds down, followed by Chavanel, Busato, Moinard, De La Cruz, Nocentini, Siutsou, Haga and Weening.
Contador came in 6.06 down with Ryder Hesjedal with Landa coming home in a group which was 7.23 down.
"We said that the breakaway had a chance" said Gilbert on his 58th victory. "So we went full gas and Chavanel went but I had no reason to help him. Nocentini worked with me and my team mate helped me attack. I knew that if I had a small gap I would be caught.
"I took some risks but to win a stage you have to take some risks."
Contador now leads the race by 5.15 from Mikel Landa.
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