Emanuele Sella took victory in the eleventh stage of the Giro d'Italia in Cesena today to claim his first major career win.
The 23-year-old Italian, who rides for the Panaria team, took the stage when he completed a long solo breakaway to cross the line in a time of five hours and 19 minutes. Sella was part of small group of riders, which began chasing down the 20-strong group of stage leaders just after the 163km mark.
Shortly afterwards he broke away on his own, and managed to maintain the lead to the delight of the locals. Cesena is the home town of climber Marco Pantani, who died in February from a cocaine overdose.
Sella's victory coupled with the emergence of race leader and fellow Italian, Damiano Cunego, will delight a town and country still in mourning. Cunego finished just over 30 seconds behind Sella to retain the pink jersey.
Filed by Séamus Leonard.
