Tanel Kangert finding his form as Giro progresses
Tanel Kangert of team Astana (Kazakhstan), the only Estonian cyclist in this year's Giro d'Italia, is showing increasingly better results as the grand tour enters its third week, with top 10 finishes in last two stages.
Kangert came very close to taking a stage win in foul weather on Thursday but was caught by the favorites 200 meters before the finish in Vicenza, along with Androni-Sidermec's Franco Pellizotti. Philippe Gilbert of BMC took the victory, with general classification leader Alberto Contator (Tinkoff-Saxo) three seconds behind and Diego Ulissi of Lampre-Merida third.
On Saturday's unusually long 59.2-kilometer individual stage, Kangert finished sixth. The stage was won by Sky's Vasil Kiryienka from Belarus, in front of Astana's Luis Leon Sanchez (+00:12) and Alberto Contador (+00:14).
Kangert further proved his good form on Sunday, helping Astana set a fast base for a mountain-top finish at Madonna di Campiglio. Although Astana's GC contender Fabio Aru failed to take back any seconds from Contador, the team's efforts were awarded by a stage win by Spaniard Mikel Landa. Kangert finished eighth.
With six more stages to go before the tour finishes in Milan on May 31, Kangert now lies 20th in the general classification, 17 minutes behind leader Alberto Contador. Astana leads both the winning team (time) and super team (points) classifications.
Kangert is also expected to ride this year's Tour de France, alongside fellow schoolmate and now teammate Rein Taaramäe.
Editor: M. Oll
