Group sprint in the second stage of the Giro and first Italian success. jonathan milan he outwitted everyone with an imperious sprint at the San Salvo finish line. The Olympic champion of the track quartet (three out of four of the golden knights of Tokyo are in the Giro, as well as Ganna and Consonni, only Lamon is missing) and world vice-champion of the individual race dominated the sprint putting all the horses on the pedals – engine available: clearly beaten the Dutch Dekker and the Australian Groves. The Friulian from Bahrain-Victorious, originally from Buja like Alessandro De Marchi, wearing the pink jersey two years ago, is also making his Giro debut. Born in 2000 like Evenepoel, one meter and 94, sprinter but also a formidable passer, also very suitable for finals on snatches, Milan is truly one of the men of the future of Italian cycling. “I am so happy, all the fear I had in this Giro dissolved like this. I proved to myself in the time trial that I had good legs. I made my sprint, now it’s all true. The first sprint in a Giro and the ‘I won, incredible. I’m still refining my technique and now we hope to return to cheer in the next stages. Road and track have the same importance for me”. It is success number 4 in his career for Milan and adds up to the two stages at the Tour of Croatia 2022 and the stage of the Saudi Tour 2023. But this one has a much higher value. The Tokyo train continues to produce wonders.
Slow stage, long escape
Otherwise a very slow, almost listless stage along the Adriatic coast. A long five-man escape with Mattia Bais, the eldest of the two brothers of EOLO-Kometa, Champion, Lapeira, Gandin and Verre, in the end only three remained (skipped Lapeira and Verre) covering 164 km, up to -38, with the wind , then the group goes back down, even too soon than usual.
The fall to -4
At -20 from the finish the first crash of the Giro for the Australian Berwick and the Spanish Rodriguez. Evenepoel’s Soudal-Quick Step only appeared ahead in the last 6km. At -4 a very bad crash, in a narrowing of one half of the roadway: three riders, Hoole, Tusveld and Kanter, end up in the crowd. The fall creates a 19″ gap between the main group and the first chasing group: Vine, Geoghegan Hart and Pinot stay behind. Evenepoel keeps the pink jersey with 22″ on Ganna, 29″ on Almeida, 43″ on Roglic. Evenepoel: “I saw the fall, it went well luckily and I also enjoyed my first day in pink. It was a beautiful moment, I’m delighted to wear it”. The third stage will be more complicated, from Vasto to Melfi, with short uphill sections in the finale. The sprinters will have to sweat it out.
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