BURY rider Adam Yates showed his winner’s mentality after refusing to give up on honours at the Giro d’Italia despite losing ground on the leaders following a dramatic crash at the end of Sunday’s stage.

The 24-year-old former Bury Clarion rider went from third place overall to 16th, losing more than four minutes on the leaders after being involved in a pile-up caused by a police motorbike.

He immediately vowed to fight on and was true to his word in Tuesday’s 10-mile time-trial. Yates finished a solid 17th on the day, retaining his place in the overall standings.

“The Giro isn’t over for us yet,” Yates said. “I came here in great condition after months of hard work and that form hasn’t gone anywhere.

“We have two more hard weeks ahead of us and I’m more motivated than ever to get a result and climb back up the general classification.”

Dutchman Tom Dumoulin, a time-trial specialist, took temporary charge of the pink jersey after winning Tuesday’s stage, but second-placed Columbian Nairo Quintana remains the big favourite.

The reigning Vuelta a Espana champ is 4mins 35secs ahead of Yates. It looks an insurmountable gap, but Matt White, Yates’s team director, has been impressed by the Bury rider’s resilience.

He said: “We weren’t sure how he would pull up after Sunday’s crash so we are pleasantly surprised. He has been working hard and we know his form is there. He has consolidated his position and we are confident he will move up the general classification.”