Leknessund heartbroken after third second place at Giro: ‘Valgren did what I planned to do’

Andreas Leknessund has revealed that he planned to launch a late attack in the final run-in to Andalo on stage 17 of the Giro d'Italia. 

Leknessund, like he has throughout this Giro, fought excellently amongst a 29-rider strong breakaway and made the final selection of six inside the final couple of kilometres. 

Einer Rubio (Movistar) and Michael Valgren were out front for much of the final 10km, and it looked like it was going to be a mano a mano battle between the pair. However, the remaining quartet of riders returned inside the final 2km before Damiano Caruso (Bahrain-Victorious) tried a series of attacks on the final uphill section. 

As the road flattened with the flamme rouge in sight, Valgren jolted from the group, and a moment of hesitation gave the Dane exactly what he needed to take the first Grand Tour stage win of his career. 

Leknessund was the first to respond, distancing the rest, but try as he might, the Norwegian was simply unable to reel in the Dane and had to settle for another second place. 

In the immediate aftermath at the finish, Leknessund confirmed a bitter feeling, as he had planned to make the same move that Valgren did, and was simply beaten to the punch. 

"Today I think I did a really good race until the last kilometre," Leknessund told Eurosport. "My plan was to attack over the top. I was a bit too far in the front of the group, and Valgren did what I planned to do."

Despite the disappointment of coming so close once more, Leknessund was asked if he could take positives from what was yet another strong performance. 

"Yeah, as I said, I think I did a pretty good race being alone in this big group," said Leknessund. 

"I managed to be in the group that had the gap into the climbs and then bridging up to those four or five guys who had a gap later, closer to the final and then yeah, I do as little as possible, sitting in the wheels more the last few climbs," added Leknessund. 

"I felt pretty good, so I felt like I could be a bit cold. Yeah, I had a plan to go over the top, and I was too late."

To illustrate the Norwegian's impressive performances in this Giro, Leknessund has moved up to third in the points classification, ahead of two-time winner Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek). Meanwhile, Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who beat Leknessund on stage 8 in Fermo, has re-established a twelve-point lead in the maglia ciclamino over Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step).