The pact of Etna makes a German and a Spaniard happy

Escape from afar: Kamna triumphs, pink jersey in Lopez. Among the big tests of domination for Carapaz’s Inéos, Nibali and Dumoulin yield

MOUNT ETNA. Wait for the battle between the big names at the volcano, on a magnificent sunny day in which from an altitude of 1,800 meters of Rifugio Sapienza, among imposing traces of centuries-old flows, the sea of ​​Catania on Tuesday 10 May seemed to touch it and instead to touch the sky with a finger yesterday there were two. Two twenty-four-year-olds, a Spanish and a German. That 2.5 km from the arrival they talked and shook hands, signing the beautiful pact of Etna.

Yes, in a sport where fatigue dominates, it also clouds the minds after miles of battles, Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek Segafredo), who had left the group of 14 fugitives in the morning to try the solitary feat, once reached by the German Lennard Kamna (Bora) made two quick calculations. To him the stage, to me the dream, the pink jersey, since I am the best placed in the standings. No sooner said than done. Kamna arrives with her arms in the air, Lopez celebrates.

The German in 2020 has already won a stage at the Tour de France in Villard de Lance after days and days of attacks, in short, he is a great rider. “I’m happy – he explains – in 2020 I took a break but I’m back and I feel that I’m improving from race to race”.

Lopez, on the other hand, is the first Spaniard in the squad after a certain period Alberto Contadoron the final podium in Milan in 2015. Right in the “cantera” created by the “Pistolero”, who triumphed up here in the 2011 edition, that later life and revoked, the new pink jersey has begun to glimpse his future as a professional.

“Coming after him fills me with pride,” explains Lopez, drunk with joy. Here they are the protagonists of the pact of Etna. Lopez in pink jersey, with Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin) who broke away, as scheduled, at the foot of the volcano, finishing at over twenty minutes, another Lopez, Miguel Angel, the Colombian leader of Astana, theoretically one of the favorites, who retired in the middle of the stage.

And the other big names? Sinister omens for the adversaries of Richard Carapaz. Because the Ecuadorian has lined up his teammates halfway up the climb making them impose the classic “Ineos rhythm”. Puccio, Castrovejo, Porte, Sivakov: gentlemen, this is an army, cycling for charity, difficult to deal with by anyone.
Think, the strongest of all, the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, to feel more comfortable with the English battleship, the millionaire UAE has had a team of the same level built. And the Jumbo Visma of the other Slovenian Primoc Roglic Has it not been at the Tour de France for years, imitating the setting of the former Sky?

Yes, because yesterday Carapaz ordered his people to pace up the climb and the others suffered. First to jump Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo), never competitive in stage races for three years, but still winner of the 2017 Giro, and now already out of the standings. Then he touched, and this too was basically predictable, a Vincenzo Nibali (Astana).
The others? Simon Yates (Bike Exchange), after the super time trial on Saturday, also crashed before the climb. We had the feeling that among the big names yesterday he was the least brilliant.

Carapaz domain tests? Let’s go slow. Wednesday 11 May with Catania-Messina, after all, is only the fourth stage. Let’s take a look at the panorama of Catania va. No, the clouds are back. The weather changes quickly up here. Just like the classification at the Giro d’Italia.

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