Ewan cracks top 10 in last true sprint stage of Giro

It was a lucky number 13 for Colombian sprinter Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors), who claimed his fourth stage victory of the 100th edition of the Giro d’Italia on Friday.

The 22-year-old once again proved to be the fastest man in the field with a blistering bunch sprint win in Tortona after racing 167 kilometres from the site of his stage 12 victory in Reggio Emilia.

However, for Australian sprinter and stage 7 winner Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott), the disappointing eighth-place finish marked the final true sprint opportunity for what he claims has been a “frustrating” Italian grand tour.

“At this level you have to have a lot of things go right for you,” said Ewan, who claimed he once again collided with another rider as he launched his final sprint off a perfectly executed lead-out from Orica teammate Luka Mezgec (SLO).

“I feel like I have had a lot of frustrations this Giro, things can go either way so easily in a sprint, but I am happy to have gotten a stage win here this year which is an improvement on 12months ago.

“Today was a really strong head wind in the last 10 kilometres so we knew we had to wait a little later than usual to move to the front. The team rode really well again and we were doing everything right up until that final sprint again.”

With seven predominantly climbing stages remaining and a final individual time trial to end the race, Ewan could easily bow out. However the 22-year-old said he will continue — for now.

“I feel good physically,” said Ewan. “I felt good yesterday and I felt good again today.

1. Fernando Gaviria, COL, Quick-Step Floors, 3:47:45

2. Sam Bennett, IRL, Bora-Hansgrohe, s.t.

3. Jasper Stuyven, BEL, Trek-Segafredo, s.t.

1 (1). Tom Dumoulin, NED, Sunweb, 56:28:53

2 (2). Nairo Quintana, COL, Movistar, +2:23

3 (3). Bauke Mollema, NED, Trek-Segafredo, +2:38

89 (90). Adam Hansen, AUS, Lotto Soudal, +1:13:53

122 (122). Michael Hepburn, AUS, Orica-Scott, +1:36:23

158 (155). Rory Sutherland, AUS, Movistar, +1:54:33

160 (164). Alex Edmondson, AUS, Orica-Scott, +1:55:30

169 (170). Caleb Ewan, AUS, Orica-Scott, +2:02:07

DNF — Rohan Dennis, AUS, BMC Racing (Stage 4)

DNF — Nathan Haas, AUS, Dimension Data (Stage 11)

For full race results click here.