Cimolai beats Gavia and Cimolai to his left
Beaten in Foligno Gaviria and the Friulian who continues the collection of placings: “They are always there, sooner or later the stage will arrive”
FOLIGNO. It is a Giro with big names, old and new. Yes, in Foligno, at the Giostra della Quintana, the famous re-enactment of the medieval battle dated 10 February 1613, an ace reappears: Peter Sagan. The Slovak, three times world champion, is the runner of the last decade, and when he is well, despite the more than one hundred races on the bulletin board and the same number of second places, you don’t beat him. Because on the road it still unloads incredible power and then, on the microphones, it is never banal.
On the road the Bora captain Hansgrohe beats Fernando Gaviria (Uae) and Davide Cimolai (Israel).
The Pordenone rider is still there, placed, but satisfied: «I stayed too far in the wind in the last 300 meters, it’s a pity, but Sagan, who passed with me as a professional at Liquigas 2010, is still Sagan». He waits for days to become a father “Cimo”: “No news, maybe the child is waiting for my victory,” he laughs. Verona next sprint on Friday for the Friulian now second in the ranking of the cyclamen jersey: «Better a stage than the jersey», he says thanking the team and the other Friulian, Alessandro De Marchi for the “trains” in the final.
Gaviria does compliment Sagan
Sagan? He thanked the team, with the ex Team Friuli Giovanni Aleotti and the codroipese Matteo Fabbro to work hard (and with joy) for the undisputed leader. Who also has words of honey for his friend from Friuli, Elia Viviani (Cofidis) who got lost in the sprint: “He’s great, he’ll be back soon because he’s always there”.
The mini-stage (139 km) caught fire at the Valico della Somma mountain grand prix, 40 km from the finish. Sagan’s praetorians gave the throttle to get as many sprinters out of the way as possible. And so Dylan Groenewegen (Jumbo), Tim Merlier (Alpecin) and, lastly, Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka) broke off making the sprint a bargain for a few. Since Saturday not for Calab Ewan (Lotto): «Did he retire for a blow to the bedside table? I’m here, I’m doing well in the Giro and I’m struggling », the winner laughs.
Given to Sagan what belongs to Sagan, the flying finish line of Campello sul Clitunno, 19 km at the finish, inflamed the big names. Up for grabs crumbs: 3.2, 1 second bonus. For the crumbs the two titans, Egan Bernal and Remco Evenepoel and their squadrons, the Ineos and the Decenunck have given themselves to a good reason. Evenepoel gains a guard, then extends his hand to Bernal who reciprocates.
«Really tough stage – explains the pink jersey – I didn’t expect it like this, but we saved the day. Remco gives battle? This is the Giro, and don’t start talking about a duel, there are so many opponents that I respect ». Vincenzo Nibali (Trek), included. Having started chasing a precarious condition due to a broken wrist, the champion is always fighting there, keeping Giulio Ciccone in front of him. And not only: “I help him stay out of trouble, and I help myself too.” Feeling: despite the physical problems, the “old” Squalo is much better than the Giro 2020, the one in October in which he struggled. And time is on his side because it is a background.
Egan Bernal, prima rosa
Today he rests before Montalcino, the dreaded stage of the dirt roads. For runners, after the negative anti-Covid rapid tests two days ago, today the molecular ones provided by the UCI. In October they were feared caudine forks, today almost no one talks about them. The great beauty. Like the Giostra della Quintana and its modern knights: Sagan, Bernal, Evenepoel. And why not, Nibalie and Ciccone.
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