The Giro’s back on Italian roads and the peloton has given us a week full of roller-coaster emotion. The GC was shaken. The pink jersey has changed shoulders to a man with a fierce will to win and the legs to do so. The Little Kangaroo made everyone smile and then cry, and for some hopeful contenders it’s been a tricky few stages. Yep, the Giro is not the Tour and we’re most definitely not in Kansas any more Toto. We recap from Stages 4 to 9.
Stage 4
The peloton are back on Italian roads for the first of three stages in Sicily with a tricksy little puncheurs-delight of a finish. Lotto-FixAll took control and Tim Wellens did what he’s been doing all season – timing the lung busting climb to perfection to take the stage win. Mike Woods (EF Education First – Drapac p/b Cannondale) just got the better of LottoNL-Jumbo’s Enrico Battaglin for second. There were gaps at the finish but the pink jersey remained on the shoulders of Rohan Dennis (BMC)
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Stage 5
Sicily delivered a very similar finish and Enrico Battaglin went two places better than Stage 4. The Italian Jumbo Bee followed home favourite Giovanni Visconti (Bahrain-Merida) and then zoomed past him to stage winning glory. Jose Gonclaves (Katusha-Alpecin) rounded out the day’s podium. For the second day Quick-Step Floor’s Max Schachmann was involved with a crash and still managed to finish in the lead group and retain the maglia bianca.
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Stage 6
Punster’s pencils were sharpened for the first summit finish of the Giro on Mount Etna. However, the stage was so thrilling all volcano related mentions were rendered quite unnecessary as the GC was well and truly shook!! Mitchelton-Scott pulled off a spectacular double – etappa e maglia. Esteban Chaves attacked on the slopes of Etna out of the HUGE break of the day. Simon Yates left everyone for dead in the elite chase group and bridged to his Colombian teamie. The duo rode to the finish together for the Baby Kangaroo to claim an emotional stage win and Yates the pink jersey. Thibaut Pinot (Groupama FDJ) claimed the bonus seconds for third.
Tissues at the ready…
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Stage 7
A crossing of the Straits of Messina and the Giro is back on mainland Italy for a flat-as-a-pancake sprint fest. The fast, frantic run to the line ended with a maiden grand tour victory for BORA-hansgrohe’s Sam Bennett. The Irishman FINALLY getting his timing just right to come around Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) in the last metres. The maglia rosa remains with Mitchelton-Scott on the shoulders of Simon Yates.
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Stage 8
A slow day and wet finish, but boy-oh-boy the last 15 minutes more the made up for it. Movistar’s Richard Carapaz seized his moment and sped away with ease to take a joyful maiden GT victory and the best young rider’s jersey. Mitchelton-Scott brought Simon Yates safely to the finish in the pink. Chris Froome endured a difficult day on slippery hairpins.
Wonderful, animated interview with Kenny Elissonde after the stage. It’s in French but the drama of the situation is quite clear #PasFroomey. The written version on L’Equipe is here.
Our review is here.
Stage 9
What – a -stage! 225km to a summit finish. The scenery was stunning. The breakaway took their chances with panache. Astana came with a plan but it was Mitchelton-Scott who delivered a stage win for the maglia rosa Simon Yates. It was easy to see who had the good legs, and more importantly who didn’t. All this and getting off the mountain in a cable car – yep, welcome to the Giro ladies and gentleman.
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Our review is here.
Header Image: Giro sheep – Tim de Waele/Getty Images