Vuelta a Espana 2020 : Stage 4. Giro d’Italia 2020: Stage 19. Bennett, Cerny and whole lot of confusion

Sam Bennett (Deceuninck Quick Step) carried straight on with his winning ways by claiming victory on Stage 4 of La Vuelta – his seventh of the year. Initially given the jump by UAE Team Emirates Jasper Philipsen, the Irishman claimed the slipstream and zoomed past in the final pedal strokes. Meanwhile over at the Giro d’Italia, Josef Cerny delivered a fine solo victory for his CCC team, leaping away from the break with 20km to go. As marvellous as that was, it wasn’t the main story of stage 19 – as rider power turned what should have been the longest stage, into the shortest! There was no change on GC anywhere. Let’s get into it.

Okay, two grand tours in one day is confusing enough without the polemic raging on twitter all day. Let’s start with La Vuelta, which for once wasn’t the crazy one of this Grand Tour double up.

Viva La Vuelta

Four stages in and the race organisers gave the sprinters their chance and they were not going to let the opportunity slip from their grasp. As expected the Quicksteppers bossed the roundabouts and squeaky final bend to set Sam Bennett up for a run to the line.

It didn’t all go according to plan and Sam found himself on the behind a charging Philipsen, but once he got into the slipstream he accelerated away to take a convincing win.

Jasper Philipsen came on the inside and got a jump, and I actually really didn’t believe I was going to catch him. I started getting more and more speed towards the end and I was still accelerating towards the line, so I had the power. But when he initially went, he was explosive around the corner that I didn’t know if I could catch him.

It’s amazing what confidence can bring to a sprinter, and the Irishman looks to have it spades.

Seventh victory of the year for @Sammmy_Be, who produced a devastating sprint in the closing meters of Friday’s #LaVuelta20 stage: https://t.co/pnYfPl7wUW
Photo: @GettySport pic.twitter.com/DxXqMPzMb8

— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) October 23, 2020

Love this shot.

What a shot of fast man @Sammmy_Be taking the win today at #LaVuelta20 😍
Photo: Baixauli Studio pic.twitter.com/vy9LAewSdm

— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) October 23, 2020

Records a-go-go again

Until now https://t.co/S4VvfXT4ge

— Cillian Kelly (@irishpeloton) October 23, 2020

Stage 4 results

1 Sam Bennett (Deceuninck Quick Step) 3:53:29

2 Jasper Philipsen (UAE-Team Emirates) same time

3 Jakub Mareczko (CCC) s/t

4 Pascal Ackermann (BORA-hansgrohe) s/t

5 Gerben Thijssen (Lotto-Soudal) s/t

GC Top 10

1 Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) 16:30:53

2 Dan Martin (Israel Start-Up) +0:05

3 Richard Carapaz (INEOS Grenadiers) +0:13

4 Enric Mas (Movistar) +0:32

5 Hugh Carthy (EF Pro Cycling) +0:38

6 Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) +0:44

7 Felix Grossschartner (BORA-hansgrohe) +1:17

8 Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-Scott) +1:29

9 Marc Soler (Movistar) +1:55

10 George Bennett (Jumbo-Visma) +1:57

All the jerseys

🏆 Líderes tras la etapa 4 | Leaders after stage 4

❤️🇸🇮 @rogla
💚🇸🇮 @rogla
🔵🇪🇨 @RichardCarapazM
⚪🇪🇸 @EnricMasNicolau #LaVuelta20 pic.twitter.com/5BaQsYldyE

— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) October 23, 2020

Leader’s jersey Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma)

Points jersey Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma)

King of the Mountains Richard Carapaz (INEOS)

Best Young Rider Enric Mas (Movistar)

For full race reviews, go to cyclingnews

Official race website: Vuelta a Espana

Much ado at Il Giro d’Italia

Ahhh stage 19, you sweet, contrary child. What should have been the longest stage and turned into the shortest. What should have ended with a nailed on sprint at the finish and didn’t.

I want to speak about our stage victor first, because I fear most of the column inches about this day’s racing will not be about his exploits.

#Giro
Cerny has attacked and is now leading the race solo with Jacopo Mosca in a 4-man chase group.

This is turning out to be a thrilling "sprinters" stage!

— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) October 23, 2020

Let’s hear it for Josef Cerny

The stage was shortened to 124km and Josef was in front for all of them. First as part of a trio, later as part of a larger breakaway group and finally on his own. He made his winning move with 20km to go, slipping from the front of breakaway and putting his not inconsiderable TT ability on show – let’s not forget he was 6th on the opener and 5th on stage 14.

Cerny is gone. Just look at his TT results…he was way stronger than Campenaerts. #Giro

— Chris (@Vlaanderen90) October 23, 2020

He needed every watt he could find from his screaming legs with the likes of Iljo Keisse (Deceuninck Quick Step) and NTT’s Victor Campenaerts powering away behind him. With 17km to go he held 40secs, at 9km it was 28secs and it went south to 21secs at the 4km mark. But the Czech didn’t look back, just kept on sucking in oxygen and turning the pedals. He held them off and had time to enjoy his first WorldTour victory. A full two arm salute all the way to the line

I still cannot believe it but it is a really nice feeling. I didn’t believe it until I was about 500 meters to go. I still had about 25-30 seconds in the last ten kilometres but it was a full headwind. I thought I could I could do it and I was pushing hard and now I’m here after crossing first in the finish line. It’s unbelievable. I cannot describe it, it was just incredible. I try so much and today, I have achieved my dream.

REPORT: @cernyjosef takes a superb solo victory on #Giro stage 19

“I have achieved my dream.”

📝 👉🏼 https://t.co/j0V18ALYSk #RideForMore pic.twitter.com/qSldznM9L8

— CCC Team (@CCCProTeam) October 23, 2020

Bitter sweet 2nd place in @giroditalia
What a ride @josef_cerny_ !@nttprocycling @ride_bmc @girocycling @ Turin, Italy https://t.co/0BuvxOnxbF

— Victor Campenaerts (@VCampenaerts) October 23, 2020

Wonderful for the team that says goodbye at the end of the season

💕 Pure emotion 💕

An amazing win by @cernyjosef on @giroditalia stage 19 perfectly captured by @ChrisAuldPhoto 👌👏#RideForMore #Giro pic.twitter.com/UevJyxJCjX

— CCC Team (@CCCProTeam) October 23, 2020

The shenanigans at the start

Facing a day of 258km in the wet and cold after a late finish yesterday and an early start today, the riders were not happy.

Piove a dirotto a Morbegno questa mattina. Non siamo riusciti a intervistare i girini, in compenso abbiamo fotografato @NicoDenz con l’ombrello, e va bene così ☔️ pic.twitter.com/J3kCledzlB

— Bidon (@ciclismoliquido) October 23, 2020

When chaos reigns you need someone to make sense of it from a rider’s perspective …step forwards Ladies Favourite Bernie Eisel

Big meeting before the start of today’s stage @giroditalia @HansenAdam meeting with #UCI commissaries and race director Mauro Vegni of #RCS more info soon @Eurosport @GcnRacing pic.twitter.com/ftdlAInqUg

— Bernhard Eisel (@EiselBernhard) October 23, 2020

#Giro – Rai reporting now after talking with some Astana riders that protests were about timetables. Long transfer after yesterday stage in the middle of the traffic (1h to pass Tirano) and early start today so few hours of sleep for the riders.

— La Flamme Rouge (@laflammerouge16) October 23, 2020

The result of the meeting

Stage shortened. Riders jump on the bus now and start the stage near Milan. 150km racing in #stage19 @giroditalia riders talked to the organizers last night already to shorten the stage. Finally the riders said we won’t race and an agreement was found @Eurosport @GcnRacing

— Bernhard Eisel (@EiselBernhard) October 23, 2020

After talks between the riders and the organisers, today’s #Giro stage has been shortened to 150 kilometers. Part of the stage will be covered in team buses, before a restart later in the afternoon and the finish in Asti.

— Deceuninck-QuickStep (@deceuninck_qst) October 23, 2020

Back on the bus

🇮🇹 – @giroditalia

🚴‍♂️ ➡ 🚌 ➡ 🚴‍♂️#allezALM – #Giro103 – © @fredmachabert pic.twitter.com/hxuuEqtQx6

— AG2RLM Pro Cycling Team (@AG2RLMCyclisme) October 23, 2020

And now … back on the bus. Did not expect this.

— Joe Dombrowski (@JoeDombro) October 23, 2020

Bernie knows

If the riders say it’s not ok, then it’s not ok. Stay safe! #CouchPeloton #Giro https://t.co/VWQQVe81zz

— Belinda (@reallyspoketome) October 23, 2020

He’s not wrong, this could have been handled better but here we are.

#Giro the race is definitely on. Team buses are racing to pick up the riders and get to the real start around Como. right call by the riders, but again, should have been discussed and decided last night. Big mess here right now. #Giro103 @Eurosport @gcntweet pic.twitter.com/AeYlxwkKxF

— Bernhard Eisel (@EiselBernhard) October 23, 2020

Twitter found the light side

I hope the teambuses decide to race against eachother and we'll see a hybrid cycling/bus race!#Giro https://t.co/w5xRtoegAx

— Max's Cycling Thoughts (@CyclingOpinions) October 23, 2020

#Giro103 #Giro
Breakaway's composition:
Lotto Soudal Bus
Vini Zabu Bus
Androni Bus
Bardiani Bus

They have about 2 minutes on the peloton.

— 246 days to TDF 🍀✨ (@Chmura212) October 23, 2020

Grinta! #BusFranz to attack now 💥

— NTT Pro Cycling (@NTTProCycling) October 23, 2020

And predictably found plenty to take to the keyboards with views ranging from: “this wouldn’t have happened in the old days, Andy Hampsten on the Gavia” etc etc (which yes, that is an iconic image and a supreme feat of human endurance, but had little to do with what was unfolding in the circumstances of 2020), to “what about the all the towns that paid to have the Giro with them?” Also a valid point, but again what choice were the riders left with?

Could it have been handled better? Undoubtedly. Was it the correct decision? Yes in my opinion it was.

Brian Holm (DQS) told me recently, that he can see the fatigue in the Vuelta-pack. Whenever they hit a Cat 3 the pack splits up into pieces.
That wouldn't happen at the season-start.

Imagine how the legs are in the #Giro103 where they've been going at it for almost 3 weeks.

— Rasmus Nowak Brandt (@Brandtenburg94) October 23, 2020

The cumulative stress of this Giro in this year, with the weaker bubble that led to the COVID positives, the many concerns about safety, the long transfers etc make the riders’ actions completely understandable. This is not a normal Giro. That’s a theme this year. Not normal.

— John Galloway (@VelocastJohn) October 23, 2020

It’s not just about the stage, it’s about the long transfers, the safety fuck ups during the race, COVID etc. Accumulated stress. This is not a normal year. You can disagree but it’s about more than just riding in the rain.

— John Galloway (@VelocastJohn) October 23, 2020

Have you ever raced 250k in the rain, during a grand tour so you're already tired and beat up, during a truncated season where they crammed 60 races into 90 days but you probably had a paycut anyway, and you already have a weakened immune system but also there's a pandemic? https://t.co/OHdPqwnjiG

— Phil Gaimon (@philgaimon) October 23, 2020

The risks the peloton take every race are staggering. Of course that is part of racing and they/we accept it. I have expressed many times that racing should not be sanitised or risk free, but that is not what we are discussing today. This is one stage, in a very concertinad year

— midge (@pariswheels) October 23, 2020

You may choose to disagree and that’s OK, it’s fair to say probably not all the riders were in agreement either.

Every team knew before this Giro that stage 19 is 250 km long, it comes after the Stelvio and it might rain! Did anyone say anything then? No. Also the long, flat stages are boring yes, but they have their role. Tomorrow on Sestriere, the legs would have felt those 250 km. #Giro

— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) October 23, 2020

Could this have been cleared up earlier and in a better way? YES for sure. But, it is what it is and I don't blame them. And while yes, there is a danger of precedence, that is also mitigated by the extraordinary nature of 2020. It's a small risk.

— midge (@pariswheels) October 23, 2020

In interview with L'Equipe, Démare said that he was ready to do the 260km under the rain and that they didn't complain about Stelvio yesterday so it's quite unfair to shorten the race

— La Petite Bordure (@PetiteBordure) October 23, 2020

I’m giving the final word to Adam Hansen, who was involved in the meeting this morning and in discussions with riders.

Just to make things double clear. @giroditalia @cpacycling @Lotto_Soudal pic.twitter.com/OVXFMPW2cZ

— Adam #Vegan Hansen (@HansenAdam) October 23, 2020

You can bet your bottom dollar this will rumble on. Anyone else find this a disturbing quote from the race organiser?

Vegni: 'Somebody will pay' for protest that shortened stage 19 of Giro d'Italia

Race director insists he did not receive request until immediately before planned starthttps://t.co/mFq4DMIG6w pic.twitter.com/fDr5JnP1a9

— Cyclingnews.com (@Cyclingnewsfeed) October 23, 2020

Stage 19 Results

1 Josef Cerny (CCC) 2:30:40

2 Victor Campenaerts (NTT) +0.18

3 Jacopa Mosca (Trek-Segafredo) +0:26

4 Simon Clarke (EF Procycling) same time

5 Iljo Keisse (Deceuninck Quick Step) +2:18

GC Top 10

1 Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb) 80:29:19

2 Jai Hindley (Team Sunweb) +0:12

3 Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) +0:15

4 Pello Bilbao (Bahrain McLaren) +1:19

5 João Almeida (Deceuninck-Quickstep) +2:16

6 Jakob Fuglsang (Astana Pro Team) +3:59

7 Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe) +5:40

8 Vincenzo Nibali (Trek-Segafredo) +5:47

9 Fausto Masnada (Deceuninck-Quickstep) +6:46

10 Rafal Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe) +7:28

All the jerseys

Stage 19, Morbegno – Asti

💗Maglia Rosa @EnelGroupIT – @W1lcokelderman
💜Maglia Ciclamino @segafredoitalia – @ArnaudDemare
💙Maglia Azzurra @BancaMediolanum – @Rguerreiro94
🤍Maglia Bianca @EurospinItalia – @JaiHindley #Giro pic.twitter.com/WKoGr83EH2

— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) October 23, 2020