On a day where the GC contenders finally inflicted real damage on the overall classification at the Giro d’Italia, Trek Factory Racing raced for a top result and Fabio Felline came through with a respectable eighth place in the lengthy 59.4-kilometer time trial (+1’26”).

"For me it was a really good performance, it was the first time in my life that I have done a long time trial of 60 kilometers,” said Felline. “It was a little dangerous with the rain, but I finished and didn’t crash.

“It was strange because with my feelings during the race I was thinking that I am finished, I don’t have more energy to continue. I don’t know what happened, how I was able to keep pushing hard; maybe it was the people on the sides who gave me motivation and also from the car as they gave me good words for motivation.

“I also kept telling myself that all the riders are feeling the same, the same sensations as me."

TFR.com pointed to the tattoo on Felline’s arm where he has the three words ‘Serenità, Consapevolezza, Determinazione’  [serenity, consciousness, determination] inscribed, and asked whether these provided motivation in a tough, solo effort like today:

“The three words tattooed on my arm are important not only for sport, but for all of life.  For today when it’s just about you, your legs and your body they were a perfect reminder,” he answered.

Team Sky’s Vasil Kiryienka won the long race against the clock in 1.17.52.

Unfortunately, time trial specialist Kristof Vandewalle was on pace for a great result until he crashed heavily on a slick descent. He was able to remount a spare bike, but the chance for a top finish was over.

“I am feeling okay other than my finger. I was feeling very good in the time trial, a very good rhythm that I thought I could hold to the end. Already on the first roundabout my back wheel was sliding a little bit, and that made me a little nervous about the roads," he said.

“But I continued a good rhythm, over the climbs I could accelerate over the top. Then in a certain corner in a descent I thought I could take it harder and I went too hard and I could not correct it.  I went out of the corner and through a hedge. I jumped immediately on a spare bike but it felt totally different and the gears were smaller. I still got back into a good rhythm, but all my trust in the descents was gone. It’s a pity because I was really, really feeling good. I think I easily lost 1 minute and a half.  Maybe more because I went so slow in the descents after that.”

General Manager Luca Guercilena was following Vandewalle in the team car and witnessed his crash, which could have been much worse he explained:

“The crash was pretty spectacular. It was on a corner in a fast descent and he couldn’t brake because it was too slippery. He went straight against a wall, and lucky for him there was a series of trees just after the wall and he landed in a soft place. He went immediately on a spare bike but after that he had a lot of fear and lost time on the last descent. It’s too bad because he was going for a good, good tempo.”

The long, hilly time trial was raced under rain from Marco Coledan, the first rider off the ramp, to the final rider, the maglia rosa clad Fabio Aru (Astana). When Aru crossed the line the GC shuffled drastically as expected, and Alberto Contador was back in pink by the biggest margin so far, a hefty 2 minutes and 28 seconds over Aru.