The finish of stage 17 of the Giro d’Italia 2023 in Caorle (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
No celebrations because none of the riders knew who won (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Alberto Dainese learns he’s won (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
CAORLE ITALY MAY 24 LR Niccol Bonifazio of Italy and Team Intermarch Circus Wanty Alberto Dainese of Italy and Team DSM Michael Matthews of Australia and Team Jayco AlUla and Jonathan Milan of Italy and Team Bahrain Victorious Purple Points Jersey sprint at finish line during the the 106th Giro dItalia 2023 Stage 17 a 197km stage from Pergine Valsugana to Caorle UCIWT on May 24 2023 in Caorle Italy Photo by Stuart FranklinGetty Images (Image credit: Stuart FranklinGetty Images)
Senne Leysen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was the last man standing from the breakaway (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Thomas Champion leads the breakaway (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Senne Leysen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in the breakaway (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Charlie Quarterman (Corratec-Selle Italia) (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Ryan Gibbons, Pascal Ackermann, Derek Gee and Jonathan Milan (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
The Giro d’Italia passes through the town of Valstagna during stage 17 (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Rohan Dennis appears to suffer from some stomach problems (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Mark Cavendish had a problem with his cleat (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Cavendish explains the issue (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Mark Cavendish rode with one shoe off while getting a change (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
The peloton passes through the Bassano del Grappa Village (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Race leader Geraint Thomas tucked in the Ineos train (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Andrea Pasqualon got some extra encouragement from his daughter before stage 17 (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Jonathan Milan in the ciclamino jersey before stage 17 (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Geraint Thomas masked up before the start (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Simone Consonni (Cofidis) wearing the new Ekoi helmet (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Thomas Champion before the start (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Ineos under masks at the start (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)
Alberto Dainese (Team DSM) claimed stage 17 of the Giro d’Italia, beating Jonathan Milan (Bahrain Victorious) and Michael Matthews (Jayco-AlUla) in a tight sprint in Caorle.
In a final week dominated by mountains, this was as gentle a day as you could imagine, with no climbs and net downhill on the 197 kilometres from Pergine Valsugana to the coastal finishing town above Venice.
Team DSM have largely backed Marius Mayrhofer in the bunch sprints so far at this Giro, but they pivoted to Dainese, who clinched his second victory in two editions of the Giro.
Team DSM were the most organised collective on the corner-heavy run-in, and they took pole position through the final left-hander 600 metres from the line. Dainese, though, had to bide his time as his lead-out man pulled off with 400 metres still to go, leaving Michael Hepburn to come through and slingshot Matthews into a long-range sprint.
Dainese let the wheel go to Simone Consonni (Cofidis) in front, but ran at it and then sprinted into Matthews’ slipstream before hitting out to the right. Meanwhile, maglia ciclamino Milan came from even further back to burst into contention in typical head-bobbing fashion.
The three of them came together on the line, and Dainese just about managed to keep his wheel in front of Milan’s by the tightest of margins, with Matthews less than half a wheel back sandwiched in the middle of them.
“This is insane,” said Dainese, who revealed he’d been struggling with stomach sickness and breathing difficulties in the past five days.
“We rode an insane final with the boys. I was a bit overtaken by the guys on the left, so had to squeeze and try to catch Matthews. The last metres I had to dig so deep. I saw Jonny coming. I couldn’t really throw my bike I was so on the limit, but it was nice to get my wheel a few centimetres in front and get the win.”
