Tinkoff-Saxo headed into the Giro d'Italia with the goal of having Rafal Majka finish in the top 5 and the Pole was in a good position as they headed into the final week. However, a stomach flu saw him lose strength in the final stages and his team is convinced that he would have reached the target if he had stayed healthy until the end.

Today, Tinkoff-Saxo rolled out to do the 21st and 172 kilometer long final stage of Giro d’Italia where the team have taken 2 stage wins and if everything went as planned, Rafal Majka could finish 6th overall after having been in contention for third place the first two weeks of the race. Then he was struck by stomach flu but he tenaciously hung on to the favorites to do an honorable 6th place.

The traditional parade was launched in Gemona and 172 flat kilometers later, the bunch sprint decision was due in the finish town of Trieste. But Svein Tuft (Orica GreenEdge)) and Lars Ytting-Bak (Lotto-Belisol) wanted to alter the inevitable and launched a tandem breakaway. Entering the final two laps on the circuit in Trieste, Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani), Valerio Agnoli (Astana) and Carlos Quintero (Colombia) joined the fun at the front.

But the sprinters showed no mercy and in the furious bunch sprint, Luca Mezgec came flying like a rocket past everyone and took the stage win. Rafal Majka finished with the bunch and secured the overall 6th place, which is one step up compared to last year’s Giro.

“Naturally, I’m happy about our two stage wins in the race. Besides, the riders have each done their individual job beautifully and lived up to our expectations. As a team, they’ve been working together splendidly as well. We entered the race targeting a top-5 position for Rafa and I truly believe that it would have been possible if it hadn’t been for an ill-timed stomach flu. But Rafa kept on fighting and he finished the Giro in great honor,” commented DS, Lars Michaelsen.