Giro d’Italia: Italy’s Davide Bais takes surprise stage seven win

David Bais crosses Giro d'Italia finish line

Italy’s Davide Bais secured a surprise victory on stage seven of the Giro d’Italia, the first of his professional career.

The Eolo-Kometa rider, 25, won the race’s first summit finish in six hours eight minutes 40 seconds.

The Czech Republic’s Karel Vacek came second and Italy’s Simone Petilli finished third, with all three chasing a first stage win.

Norway’s Andreas Leknessund retained the overall lead of the race.

Bais, who had never achieved a top-three finish as a professional, also took the blue jersey for winning all three climbs and both intermediate sprints in the 218km stage from Capua to Gran Sasso d’Italia.

Vacek – part of a three-man breakaway group with Bais and Petilli – was dropped by his two rivals, but then staged a remarkable comeback.

He caught up with three kilometres remaining to lead for much of the final kilometre.

Petilli tried to launch his attack for Intermarche in the final period but Bais swept past both riders, sprinting ahead in the last 200m to take victory.

“Finally my first pro win has arrived,” said Bais.

“It was unexpected because I went into the breakaway to prepare for an attack by [team-mate] Lorenzo Fortunato.

“In the finale, I knew I was the fastest so I waited for my time to come to do the last effort.”

The stage, which normally delivers entertainment and drama up the highest peak in the Apennines, ended with the main contenders together more than three minutes behind the front trio – meaning there was no change in the general classification standings.

Great Britain’s Geraint Thomas had a mechanical issue with his bike for the second successive day but was able to continue to finish seventh, and remains sixth in the overall standings.

He said the wind had put any of the big names off making a move with the stage finishing in snow.

“There was a super strong headwind,” said the Welshman.

“Everyone was just waiting really. No-one wanted to push the pace, in the wheels it was a lot easier.

“It was a bit of a stalemate. We kind of wanted to race a bit but it wasn’t the conditions to.”

Overall leader Leknessund, riding for Team DSM, said the race was “a bit boring” with the main peloton coming up the mountain together.

“In the end it was only full gas in the last few kilometres, but we are grateful for that as we get more days in pink,” the 23-year-old said.