May 17/10 13:23 pm - Giro d'Italia: Stage 9

Posted by Editoress on 05/17/10
 

HTC-Columbia's Matt Goss has blasted to the team's first win in the 2010 Giro d'Italia on Monday, outpowering the rest of the field in a bunch sprint in the town of Cava de Terreni.

At the end of the 187 kilometre stage, Goss stormed across the line two bike lengths clear of Filippo Pozzato of Italy. USA rider Tyer Farrar was third. Much of the stage was held in torrential rain making for difficult racing, but HTC-Columbia sports director Tristan Hoffman said afterwards the team had fought hard to keep the race under control for a bunch sprint.

"There was a four-rider breakaway but we made very sure that we kept them at a manageable distance," Hoffman said. "The weather was really bad at times, sometimes the streets were like rivers and that made it a lot harder. However, our goal was always to get a bunch sprint, and even though we had no support from other teams and had to work like crazy, the team did a brilliant job today. In the final kilometre Matt took his chance. It was a difficult bunch sprint, slightly uphill and with some unexpected faces in the mix, but he came through just fine. We've been pushing hard for a stage win here in the Giro, and today we got it."

HTC-Columbia press release