May 17/12 10:47 am - Giro d'Italia: Stage 12

Posted by Editoress on 05/17/12
 

Denmark’s Lars Bak (Lotto-Belisol) won stage 12 of the Giro d’Italia from Seravezza to Sestri Levante on the Ligurian coast. 

Bak broke away alone on the twisting descent to the finish. France’s Sandy Casar (FDJ-Big Mat) was second and Andrey Amador Bikkazakova (Movistar Team) was third.

Spain’s Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha Team) retained the overall race lead.

Bak said: “I won a team time trial at the Giro d’Italia last year but this is my first solo win for about three years and my first stage victory in a grand tour. l always believed I could win a big race and dreamed of winning a stage in a grand tour. Now I’ve done that. It seems everything is coming slowly to me. I’m 32 and I’ve been a professional for 11 years. Today I had the luck. When you win on the highest level, you can’t be happier.”

“I have ten wins on my palmares and I won a lot of them with an attack in the last kilometre. This time I went to the back of the breakaway and waited for the right moment. Sandy Casar chased attacks three times and so then I went from behind. I got 200m and they couldn’t catch me. I was lucky but it was perfect timing.”

“I want to thank my Lotto-Belisol team for the faith they had in me. I broke my hand in the spring but they didn’t put pressure on me and let me ride the Giro d’Italia and try to win stages. I’m happy to be able to give something back to the team.”

Rodriguez said: “They’re talking a lot in Spain about my success at the Giro. My family and friends have said there’s a lot of interest in me being in the pink jersey.”

Rodriguez dismissed any doubts about the strength of his Katusha team, saying: “My team is strong. The Russians Ignatyev and Brutt are doing a great job, Kuschynski and Smukulis help me stay up front and out of trouble in the finale of the stages and Losada, Moreno and Vicioso will help me in the mountains from this weekend. We’re all focused on doing as well as we can.”

“Whoever wants to win this year’s Giro d’Italia will have to show their hand from Saturday onwards. That’s when I’ll be able to say what chance I’ve got winning the Giro d’Italia.”

Giorgia Wurth –the face of the 2012 Giro d’Italia was present at the finish of the stage in Sestri Levante and in the flood hit town of Brugnato for the official opening of a children’s playground built thanks to funds donated by the Onlus Rock No War charity and RCS Sport.

Brief results from today's 12th stage of the Giro d'Italia in Italy

Stage 12: Seravezza to Sestri Levante, 155 km
1 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Lotto Belisol Team, 3:58:55
2 Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat, at 0:11
3 Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team
4 Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan
5 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) BMC Racing Team
6 Jackson Rodriguez (Ven) Androni Giocatto
7 Amets Txurruka (Esp) Euskaltel-Euskadi, all s.t.
8 Martijn Keizer (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team, 0:43
9 Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep, 0:48
10 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Esp) Sky Procycling, 3:34

19 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Barracuda, s.t.
94 Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat, 8:08
164 Svein Tuft (Can) Orica GreenEDGE Cycling Team, 20:21
170 Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEDGE Cycling Team, s.t.

GC
1 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Esp) Katusha Team , 47:16:39
2 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Barracuda , at 0:17
3 Sandy Casar (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat, 0:26
4 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team , 0:32
5 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) BMC Racing Team, 0:49
6 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team , 0:52
7 Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Esp) Movistar Team , s.t.
8 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale , 0:57

130 Dominique Rollin (Can) FDJ-Big Mat, 1:12:33
145 Christian Meier (Can) Orica GreenEDGE Cycling Team, 1:22:45
166 Svein Tuft (Can) Orica GreenEDGE Cycling Team, 1:37:21