Rodriguez Wins Dolomite Test

Joaquim Rodriguez emerged victorious from an epic day in the Dolomites after taking the win on stage 17 of the Giro d'Italia.

The Spaniard (Katusha) defended the pink jersey on the toughest day of the race so far with the peloton decimated by four categorised climbs, the stage culminating in the infamous Passo Giau.

Rodriguez edged out Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) on the line in Cortina d'Ampezzo after holding on during a fast descent from the final 2,236-metre climb to maintain his 30-second race lead over Hesjedal.

Just behind was Team Sky's Rigoberto Urán who gamely battled back after being dropped almost in sight of the summit of the Giau, the same climb which saw an elite group of six riders form.

Rodriguez, Hesjedal, Basso and Uran were joined by Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) and stage eight winner Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF), the diminutive climber turning the screw over the top of the final climb to put both Uran and Scarponi in jeopardy.

Behind the peloton were strewn out after a 186-kilometre test which went a long way to forging the leaderboard of the season's first Grand Tour.

Earlier the peloton quickly negotiated the climb leaving Falzes before a break of five riders were finally allowed clear after 43km.

In stark contrast to Tuesday's stage which saw the peloton ease off to afford themselves a relatively easy day, the escapees were given a maximum advantage of little over six minutes.

Team Sky came to the fore with Bernhard Eisel tapping out a pace on the opening second category Passo Valparola with red jersey-holder Mark Cavendish in his wheel before Euskaltel-Euskadi, somewhat surprisingly, took up the workload on the long descent.

The pace continued onto the first category Passo Duran with the Basque squad taking chunks out of the advantage held by the break before Liquigas-Cannondale returned to the front.

Still with 62km to go Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel-Euskadi), 18th overnight, attacked out of the bunch and quickly began to eat into the advantage of the break, eventually making the bridge at the foot of the Forcella Staulanza

With Liquigas still applying pressure the time gaps closed up. The breakaway was caught with 42km remaining and shortly after the first big-name casualty of the day emerged as Roman Kreuziger (Astana) slipped out of the back door.

More favourites would drop back on the Giau, with Basso's key Liquigas lieutenant Sylvester Szmyd forced to stop with a mechanical problem, forcing an exposed Basso to set the pace.

With contenders such as Team Sky's Sergio Henao dropping back eventually six men remained, the elite faction looking at one another on the steep ramps as they elevated themselves into an increased position of GC strength.

Uran and Scarponi both produced gutsy displays to regain touch on the final descent, the latter battling back from cramp to keep his race hopes alive. With four tests remaining Basso sits third (+1:22) with Scarponi (+1:36) and Uran (+2:56) rounding out the top five.