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Nikias Arndt crossed the finish line in third place
Photo: JENNIFER LORENZINI / REUTERS
On the eighth stage of the 104th Giro d'Italia, Nikias Arndt achieved the best German placement so far.
After 170 kilometers from Foggia to Guardia Sanframondi, the 29-year-old from Team DSM took third place behind the victorious French Victor Lafay and Francesco Gavazzi from Italy.
Arndt was part of a nine-person escape group, but could no longer keep up with Lafay and Gavazzi at the final ramp.
The favorites spared themselves on the hilly stage.
The Hungarian Attila Valter, surprisingly in the lead, defended his pink jersey without any problems.
The German podium candidate Emanuel Buchmann is 15th, still 1:40 minutes behind Valter.
After a good 40 kilometers, the two-time stage winner Caleb Ewan had to give up the race.
According to his racing team Lotto-Soudal, the best sprinter so far was slowed down by knee pain.
The 26-year-old Ewan had only won the seventh stage on Friday and had already won the fifth part in the sprint.
The terrain will be more demanding on Sunday.
On the 158 kilometers from Castel Di Sangro to Campo Felice, the drivers have to overcome four mountain ratings.
In the finale, there is the six-kilometer final ascent with partly unpaved road and gradients of up to 14 percent.
cev / dpa
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