Daniel Teklehaimanot (Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka) yesterday took over the lead in the King of the Mountains competition at the Giro d’Italia after winning the second category climb during the stage.
The 2nd stage of the Giro d’Italia saw the peloton leave Olbia on a 220km journey to Tortoli. With more climbing on the menu than on the opening stage, the Eritrean champion, who had missed out on taking the Maglia Azzurra yesterday, set off to claim the King of the Mountains jersey. Teklehaimanot was joined by four others to form the main break of the day.
Teklehaimanot showed no signs of fatigue after his efforts on stage one and proceeded to win both intermediate sprints and the main category 2 climb of the stage. This saw Teklehaimanot take the lead in the King of the Mountains competitions and pull on the coveted Maglia Azzurra after the stage. After the climb was completed, the break was absorbed back into the peloton with a 50km downhill charge to the finish-line.
Daniel Teklehaimanot – “I want to thank the team for giving me this chance. Yesterday I tried hard in the break but I didn’t get anything, today I won. I think I was a little fortunate as I was getting tired on the last climb and the peloton was coming. I just saved as much energy as I could and then gave it everything just before the top.”
“The climb was important as it had the most points. It’s unbelievable to have taken the jersey in the Tour de France and in this special 100th Giro d’Italia. It is incredible to be on the podium of these grand tours and I am very happy today.”
