Alessandro Covi "pushed on without worrying about the legs" into epic stage win at Passo Fedaia

Alessandro Covi was not a pre-stage favourite in any circumstance for the final mountain stage of the Giro d'Italia, however the Italian puncheur punched above his weight to capture a surprising and impressive stage win - the first Grand Tour win of his career.

“I had a chance in these last three stages and I wanted to take a stage home. It was the teams objective to win a stage since we sadly lost Almeida with illness and we can leave the Giro on a happier note," he said at the end of the stage. Covi has been hunting stages throughout the whole race, and today together with Davide Formolo they set off on the day's breakaway to attempt to capture that win.

"I attacked from far out, I’m not a real climber so I thought I had to take an advantage on the others before the climb and in the end it worked out right," he said. At this year's Cima Coppi, he attacked the breakaway in what seemed to be a harmless attack, done to spare Davide Formolo of the work required in the group. Formolo did benefit from that work, but he didn't have the legs in the final ascent. Luckily for UAE Team Emirates though, Covi did though and held off Domen Novak and Giulio Ciccone who came rather close to threatening the win.

"When I was on my own I went full gas and pushed on without worrying about the legs, although I’m glad the line came when it did as cramps were on the way. I did the best I could and I got there in the end," Covi concluded, giving the team it's only win in the race.