Tinkoff-Saxo had shown much confidence in Rafal Majka in today's first mountain stage of the Giro d'Italia but the young Pole slipped slightly back in the finale. However, the team was pleased to see him mix it up with the best and won't hold him back in tomorrow's second consecutive summit finish.

It’s not that this year’s edition of Giro d’Italia hasn’t already provided spectacularly exciting moments for the spectators but today’s 179 kilometer long 8th stage between Foligno and Montecopiolo offered the first real mountain stage and the first physically revealing duel between the GC rivals was due. Two times inside the final 55 kilometers the peloton were to climb from 300 meters altitude to 1300 meters above sea level. A finale destined to reveal weaknesses in the armor when things get heated up on the uphill finish to Montecopiolo.

Apparently, Nairo Quintana meant business as he ordered his troops to the front of the pack after a 10 men breakaway including Edvald Boason-Hagen (Sky) has gone up the road. Movistar were shielding Quintana from the wind while setting the pace but it was the speed of Tinkoff-Saxo and Omega-Pharma Quick Step that would slowly but surely drag the peloton closer to the escapees.

Entering the first of the two climbs, both Astana and BMC joined the fun at the front of the field meanwhile, the front group started to dissolve and Julian Arredondo (Trek) left his former companions behind.  It didn’t take long before the overall leader of race, Michael Matthews (Orica GreenEdge) was dropped and the pink and the white jerseys were now up for grabs. Towards the top of the climb, Tinkoff-Saxo’s Rafal Majka was in a perfect position just behind the front and was covered superbly by road captain,Michael Rogers.

Now, Ag2r formed the engine of the chase but it wasn’t intense enough to prevent Pierre Rolland (Europcar) from attacking and he stayed on the chase between the favorites and Arredondo who now started to wobble on his bike obviously in great pain. He was caught by Rolland with 2.5 kilometers to go.

Behind, Tinkoff-Saxo’s Rafal Majka decided to have a go but his rivals were over him instantly and Dani Moreno (Katusha) launched a fierce attack as well but it was Diego Ulissi (Lampre) who broke clear and went past Rolland to take the stage win.

Tinkoff-Saxo’s Rafal Majka finished 9th on the stage and moved up to third place overall:

“It was definitely a good day for us," sports director Lars Michaelsen said. "Surely, we didn’t hope to lose time to our main rivals here but I’m happy to see Rafal up there among the very best and he even had the legs to attack and I’m pleased to see him moving up the GC.

"Tomorrow, we’re setting out to another grueling mountain finish with percentages high enough to make a difference if you have the legs to attack. The race is hardest in the final week but we have a rest day on Monday and I’m not holding Rafal back if he feels like attacking at the right time."

Cadel Evans (BMC) is now leading overall.