Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan) managed to lock down the victory in the queen stage of the Giro d'Abruzzo on Thursday. In Prati di Tivo, he proved to be the best climber of the bunch, which naturally earned him the leader's jersey of the Italian race. The final stage of the four-day event is on Friday.
UAE Emirates once again made a strong impression, breaking open the race on the final climb of over fifteen kilometers. However, it proved insufficient for the win and the leader's jersey, as Lutsenko was able to easily outsprint Ulissi and Yates in the end. "UAE was very strong, but we also came with a good team," said the Kazakh in the flash interview. "It's a very good result for the team, for me, and my teammates."
"The final climb was really tough, and Adam Yates made several attacks to shake me off, but I didn't break. Moreover, he tried to wait for his teammates, but I was still able to beat him. It was a very important victory, one that gives me a great feeling after a difficult start to the season. It definitely gives me a lot of motivation for what's to come."