Alberto Contador grabs Giro d’Italia’s maglia rosa on first summit finish

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/may/13/alberto-contador-claims-maglia-rosa-summit-first

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Alberto Contador claimed the overall lead in the Giro d’Italia after the first mountain stage on Wednesday, as the race favourites leaped into action on the concluding climb to Abetone.

The Slovenian rider Jan Polanc, a 23-year-old with the Lampre-Merida team, won the fifth stage, getting in an early breakaway and attacking on the final climb. He clocked little more than four hours over the 152km (94-mile) stage, which started in La Spezia.

The French veteran Sylvain Chavanel, another rider in the breakaway group, finished second, 1min 31sec behind, and the Italian title hopeful Fabio Aru crossed third with the same time, with Contador and Sky’s Richie Porte right behind.

In the overall standings, Contador is two seconds ahead of Aru, with Porte 20 seconds back in third. The previous leader Simon Clarke dropped far behind.

A two-time Tour de France champion, Contador won the Giro in 2008 and was also triumphant in 2011 but was stripped of that title for testing positive in the 2010 Tour. “There’s still a long way to go,” Contador said. “This was just an aperitivo. My attack wasn’t planned. I felt good, looked around, and went. I’m happy with the situation after five days. I didn’t expect the pink jersey, but to have it is always fantastic … Although the one that counts is the pink jersey in Milan, so if someone else takes it tomorrow, it won’t be a problem.”

Contador was the first of the overall contenders to attack on the climb and Aru and Porte quickly followed. Aru won a sprint for third, which carried a four-second bonus. “I’m happy to be in this battle,” Aru said. “They’re great champions and being among them is unbelievable.”

Stage six on Thursday is a 183km (114-mile) leg from Montecatini Terme to Castiglione Della Pescaia, featuring flat sections at the start and finish, with hills in between.