Eritrean rider Daniel Teklehaimanot earned the King of the Mountains jersey on Saturday

SA’s Di-Data shines at Giro d’Italia again, Giro d’Italia

Eritrean rider Daniel Teklehaimanot spearheads the charge during the second stage.

Eritrean rider Daniel Teklehaimanot earned the King of the Mountains jersey on Saturday, while Italian Kristian Sbaragli and South African debutant Ryan Gibbons again secured top-10 finishes, as local outfit Dimension Data continued to make an impact in the early stages of the Giro d’Italia.

Teklehaimanot won both intermediate sprints to emerge as the best of the climbers on the 220km second leg of the three-week Grand Tour race.

German rider Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) won a bunch sprint to take the stage victory while Sbaragli and Gibbons finished fifth and seventh respectively, repeating their top-10 performances from the day before.

“It’s unbelievable to have taken the jersey in the Tour de France (last year) and in this special 100th Giro d’Italia,” Teklehaimanot said.

“It is incredible to be on the podium of these Grand Tours and I am very happy today.”