The Giro d’Italia said goodbye to another great contender after Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos-Grenadiers), who was in third place overall, abandoned the race on the 11th stage due to a fall. The stage was decided in the field race, Pascal Ackermann beat Jonathan Milan with a finish photo.
The stage already began with the loss list expanding, seven cyclists did not start, six due to Covid – four of them teammates of Remco Evenepoel, who withdrew as a pink jersey – and one rider did not continue the Giro due to flu.
After the judgment time and difficult stage on Tuesday, the cyclists rode noticeably more restrained on Wednesday, a not very exciting race day was promised according to the usual dramaturgy on the 219 kilometer stage between Camaiore and Tortona. As it should be, a group of six fugitives, consisting of bikers from smaller teams, appeared at the beginning. They didn’t have much hope of winning, because the bull kept them on a short leash, as it was one of the few stages on Wednesday where the sprinters still had a chance to win.
There was no great excitement for a long time, but one of the descents took its toll. In a wet, slippery corner, several cyclists drifted off, after Alessandro Covi (UEA), practically the entire line of Ineos fell to the ground together with Geraint Thomas in the pink jersey, and the second-placed Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) also fell at the same time. Geoghegan was unable to get up, lying on the asphalt in a strangely sprawled position. He also indicated that there was a serious problem, so he immediately signaled to his teammates not to wait for him. Due to his injury, he was unable to continue the section, and was taken away by an ambulance. With the elimination of Geoghegan Hart, Ineos’ tactical repertoire was also narrowed, the rider was only five seconds behind in the overall standings, and the two of them with Thomas could have outplayed their rivals more easily.
A few minutes after Ineoso’s skid, Movistar’s Oscar Rodriguez also had a big fall, he also skidded, then crashed into a traffic sign and was stopped by a house wall.
The race finally came together, the last fugitive, Laurenz Rex, was caught at five kilometers, and the sprint trains could be prepared. One and a half kilometers from the finish line, a fall broke up the line, leaving only a small group to continue. Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), who had already won a stage, opened the race, but his start was early, Mark Cavendish (Astana) was in the lead and seemed to pull the stage. On his right, Jonathan Milan (Bahrain-Victorius) came at a terrifying pace, while on his left, Pasckal Ackermann approached. In the end, both of them shook off the Briton, and at first the difference between them was invisible, both bikers celebrated the victory, but the finish photo decided in Ackermann’s favor, he won by roughly two centimeters.
In the overall, Thomas remained in the lead, Roglič is two seconds behind, while Joao Almeida (UAE) took the place of the eliminated Geogheghan Hart, he should work 22 seconds.
2023-05-17 15:36:10
#Covid #accidents #decimated #field #Giro
