By Shane Stokes in Frascati

Team Tinkoff rider Mikhail Ignatiev was on the attack yet again today, with he and team-mate Pavel Brutt now holding the f⭕irst two places in the Fuga Gilera breakaway competition due to their constant stints off the front of the Giro peloton.

Ignatiev went clear early on with Frenchman Mickaël Buffaz (Cofidis) and then pressed on ahead alone, whipping the peda✱ls around in his distinctive flat-back trackie style. After he was recaptured with 18 kilometres to go, team-mates Salvatore Commesso and Elia Aggiano each tried solo moves.

"The team was very motivated today, but it's the same ev🅰ery day," Ignatiev said in a mixture of English and Italian after the finish. "We have been in breakaways each day and apart from that, we have Evgeni Petrov and Ricardo Serrano for the general classification.

"I am in good shape after doing the world track cycling championships. I knew it would be hard to win today but I think the second and third week of the race will be 𝐆better for me. I will keep trying."