Huge achievement for Israel Startup Nation Israel today

Dan Martin gave the Israeli team its first victory in Valletta Spain in a section that lasted 166 km from Ludosa to Laguna Negra de Vinoasa • Giro d'Italia: Yalko Calderman overtook Joao Almeida at the top of the overall standings and is three segments away from a sensational column win

• Martin celebrates, tonight in Spain

  Photography: 

  IPI

Israel Startup Nation tonight (Thursday) marked another star on its achievement belt as its British rider, Daniel Martin, won the third section at Valletta Espanya and kept the green shirt that belongs to the best climber in the Spanish Grand Tour.

Martin, who was injured in the third section of the last Tour de France, came to Valletta with a clear goal - to prove to the managers of the Sun team that the fall in the French column was only a temporary glitch.

Today, in the section between Ludosa and Vinoasa (166.1 km), Martin finished the last ascent with only a little ahead of the Slovenian Primoz 'Roglic, who remains in first place in the overall standings - just five seconds ahead of Martin.

With tears in his eyes and a throat choked with excitement, Martin said at the end: "I was very determined to win the section, the team was great. This is the first time I have won a section since my children were born and it is especially gratifying."

Omar Goldstein finished in 67th place, seven minutes behind the winner.

Tomorrow (13:25, Eurosport) will be the fourth segment that will come out of a nomenclature to 191.7 flat kilometers in which Martin will hope to surprise Roglich who is ranked first.

Calderman is celebrating, tonight.

Approaching Giro win // Photo: IPI 

While Martin will try to make history and possibly arrange for the Sun team a truly unexpected victory if he wins the Valletta, at the Giro d'Italia they continued to dig the mountains of the boot country today and in the 18th segment the German Sun Web team celebrated big which saw Jay Hindley win the segment And more importantly - Wilco Calderman overtook Joao Almeida at the top of the overall standings and is three blocks away from a sensational column win.

Guy Sagiv finished 119th out of 133 riders left in the Giro.

Tomorrow in the 19th section, a long 258 km long day awaits the riders.