Tadej Pogačar (Slovakia, Emirates Team UAE) at the starting point with Maria Rosa photo: RCS Sport
Cofidis examines a local magazine with Pogačar on the cover photo: RCS Sport
Giro d’Italia 2024 3rd grade course profile photo: RCS Sport
On the third day of the 107th Giro d’Italia, it was finally the turn of the sprinters. The 166 km from Novara to Fossano is a flat road with only one class 4 mountain. However, a hill from 4.5km before the finish to a distance of about 1.5km/5.3% average put pressure on the group’s sprint.
In a complete change from the previous day, when an attack started right after the real start, the beginning of this day was quiet and no one was trying to escape. The 174 participants, with the exception of Eddie Dunbar (Ireland, Jayco AlUla), who did not participate due to a knee injury in a car accident in the second stage, ran as one group, exchanging words with each other. And in front of the 4th stage Lu, the only mountain division, Liliane Calmégane (France, Intermarche Wanty) jumped out, aiming for Maria Azzurra (alpine prize jumper).
Davide Ballerini (Italy, Astana Kazakstan) will follow Calmégane, who ran away in La Fleche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April this year, and also hit an escape As expected, Calmégane passed the mountain first (earning a maximum of 3 points) and immediately returned to the peloton, leaving Ballerini alone in the lead.
The first two hours progressed at a leisurely pace without escape. photo: RCS Sport
Lilian Calmégane (France, Intermarche Wanty) passed first on the only 4th class mountain of the day. photo: CorVos
After that, a peaceful atmosphere surrounded Proton. photo: RCS Sport
However, Ballerini was then brought into the peloton without even pedaling. Then, amid rain from time to time, an introduction to the sprint battle began in the intermediate sprint which was set at 87.2km left. Jonathan Millan (Riddle Trek, Italy) overtook Kaden Groves (Alpecin Deceuninck, Austria), who started his sprint early, just before the line, earning him the top 12 points.
Immediately after, Filippo Fiorelli (Italy, VF Group, Baldiani CSF, Faisane) attacked the purple Mariachi Clamino (point prize jersey) creating a main group of 24 people including sprinters who chased him . Among them were Milan, Merlile, Olaf Kooi (Netherlands, Wisma Liesabijk) and other candidates for victory on the day, and they had a difference of one minute from the main group.
On the other hand, Proton will be led by Porti Cometa and Movistar, which lost this move. The main group then joined the Intergiro. Again, Milan passed first (scoring 12 points), and the main group separated with less than 60 kilometers left. It was supposed to be a moving day (easy stage) for the athletes and the teams aiming for the main positions in general, but from this point the race became hectic with the risk of losing time.
The race starts from the intermediate sprint photo: CorVos
Tadej Pogačar (Slovakia, Emirates Team UAE) and Geraint Thomas (Great Britain, Ineos Grenadiers) are still in the peloton (2nd group), while Kian Eydebrucks (Belgium, Visma), who is in 3rd place in overall, still in the peloton (2nd). group).・ Lies-A-Bike) and Luke Plapp (Australia, Jayco Al-Ullah) will be delayed. So, Visma’s Tim van Dijke (Netherlands) and Attila Walter (Hungary) chased hard to catch the peloton. Also, the main group, which had become slower, was taken in by the peloton, so the riders returned to one group with 43km left.
After that, the race continued at the same slow pace as at the beginning. Then, at the remaining 22.1km point, where there are no intermediate points and only bonus time is given, Pogačar jumped out. Ben Swift (England, Ineos Grenadiers) followed to stop this for Thomas. The 36-year-old veteran’s effort was successful, with Pogacar finishing second (-2 seconds) and Thomas third (-1 second).
Then, with Ineos leading the way, the peloton entered a hill with a distance of about 1.5km and an average of 5.3%, starting 4.5km before the finish. While the sprinters were desperately trying to keep up with this high speed, Mikkelfreirik Honore (Denmark, EF Education Easypost) jumped out just before the top.
Tadej Pogačar (Slovakia, Team Emirates UAE) follows Honoré’s attack on the hill before the finish. photo: CorVos
Pogačar, who was in 3rd place, accepted this attack, and naturally Tomas followed suit. Honoré fell behind the high speed of Pogačar at the front, and the two candidates for the overall victory took the lead in what seemed to be a lot of group sprinting.
Following in pursuit are Bahrain Victorious, Porti Cometa, and sprint-oriented Soudal Quickstep. On the other hand, Thomas le Pogacar was asked to replace him in the lead, but he refused. As a result, the speed of the first two did not increase, and Matteo Trentin (both Italian, Tudor Pro Cycling), who was leading out to Alberto Dainese, Pogačar and others, caught while in which was Tobiaslund Andresson (Denmark, DSM Firmenich Post NL) ), the group sprint began.
The group that caught Pogačar and Tomas was included in a rally sprint. photo: CorVos
As Andresson and Dainese, who were behind them, struggled to improve the pace, Merleel passed them from the right and Milan passed them from the left. In addition, Biniyam Gilmay (Eritrea, Intermarche Wanty) entered the narrow gap between Mellial and the fence, and Mellia dominated the hand throw by the three players (Mellial, Milan, and Gilmay).
Tim Merleer (Belgium, Soudal-Quick Step) won the hand throw and gave his team their 30th Giro victory. photo: CorVos
“This victory came after the hardest part of my career. I lost the exit in the final stages, so I was always exposed to the wind as I sprinted. feeling confident. I was able to win thanks to my legs and the special bike,” said Merlile. This was Soudal’s second Giro victory and his 30th overall at the championship.
On the other hand, Pogačar, who attacked the last hill, said, “Honoré attacked and when I responded, Tomas followed. before the sprint).”” he said. He also replied, “I was running thinking my chances of winning were low, so it was a good stretch for my legs (lol).”
Pogačar is standing with Merlile and her child. photo: RCS Sport
Tim Merlile (Belgium, Soudal Quickstep) gets Mariachi Clamino with victory photo: Soudal Quick-Step
2024-05-06 23:09:52
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