Cycling: Quintana holds on to win Tirreno-Adriatico

[March 15, 2017]    (Reuters) - Colombian Nairo Quintana laid down an early marker for the Tour de France when he won the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race after holding on to his overall lead at the end of the final time trial on Tuesday.

 Movistar Team rider Nairo Quintana of Colombia cycles during the individual time trial. REUTERS/Jacques Clawey

Australian Rohan Dennis (BMC) prevailed in the 10.5-km solo effort against the clock to finish second overall ahead of France's Thibaut Pinot (FDJ).

Quintana (Movistar), a twice Tour de France runner-up who built his victory with a win in the main mountain stage that ended up the Terminillo pass, finished with a 25-second advantage over Dennis, with Pinot ending up 36 seconds off the pace.

World champion Peter Sagan, one of the top favorites for Saturday's classic Milan-San Remo, was nearly taken down when a lady with a dog walked on a pedestrian crossing just in front of him.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

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