Stage 12 of the Giro d’Italia can be described as a thoroughly enjoyable and wholesome day of bike racing culminating in a surprise Italian win from the day’s breakaway. Stefano Oldani (Alpecin-Fenix) took the victory from the formidable front trio after out-sprinting breakaway companions Lorenzo Rota (Intermarche Wanty-Gobert) and Gijs Leemreize (Jumbo-Visma) in beautiful Genoa. A calm day for the general classification riders saw Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo) retain the Maglia Rosa for another stage with no changes in the Top 10. However Wilco Kelderman (Bora-hansgrohe), Lucas Hamilton (Team BikeExchange) and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) leapt back into the Top 20 after finishing 8 minutes ahead of the main bunch.
Fast and Furious At Last!
After several slower (if we’re being generous) days at this year’s Giro d’Italia, it was mightily fun to see the riders going hell for leather from the drop of the flag today. The pace was fierce and the battle to get in the day’s breakaway even more so. A stage with three categorised climbs and a flattish finish, this one was earmarked as a day for a puncheur or climber who didn’t have his eyes set on the overall, and who could escape the bunch. For well over 50km of the stage, try as they might, no one could get the elastic to snap, until eventually a group of approximately 22 riders got away with some massive hitters amongst them.
Very strong rubber band holding the peloton together today. Will not snap. Even at 55km/hour. #Giro #CouchPeloton
— Belinda (@reallyspoketome) May 19, 2022
#Giro 🇮🇹 – 🏁 135 km
The composition:
Kelderman – Hamilton – Mollema – Buitrago – Taaramäe – Leemreize – Rota – Albanese – Eenkhoorn – Oldani – VDP – Barta – Conti – Sobrero – Sütterlin – Vendrame – Cort – Ballerini – Riesebeek – Denz – Benedetti – Schwarzmann#DomestiqueLive
— Domestique (@Domestique___) May 19, 2022
What Happened Next…
With some cycling-blockbuster names in the breakaway, all focus turned to the heated contest up front. Who would make the first move? Where would the first attack happen? As Robbie McEwen quite rightly pointed out, the ascents were less-so climbs and more-so launch pads for the perfect ambush.
Naturally, a lot of attention was being paid to Matthieu van der Poel – “long-range-attack” is, after all, Mathieu’s middle name – but also to his Alpecin-Fenix teammates, who were represented strongly in this front group. And yet, the most significant move of the day came from the team who continue to punch above their weight – Intermarche Wanty Gobert’s Lorenzo Rota hit out on the final climb and caught many of the group off-guard.
Come on Lorenzo!
— Joshua Carnn (@JoshuaCarnn) May 19, 2022
It's looking good for these 3, if they work together. None of them are born winners so I'm gonna cheer for them. #Giro pic.twitter.com/JJoc1b0fXa
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) May 19, 2022
📢Lack of cooperation in the first chasing group. The leading trio keeps gaining.
📢Non c'è collaborazione nel primo gruppo inseguitore. Il trio di testa continua a guadagnare.#Giro pic.twitter.com/RIVx2JBKIn
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 19, 2022
Soon joined by fellow Italian Stefano Oldani, and Jumbo’s Gijs Leemreize, a formidable trio was formed, and they never looked back.
The chase behind, regardless of the powerhouses involved, fell apart. They could not work together and never brought the gap to the charging three leaders back under 30 seconds.
#Giro 🇮🇹 – 🏁 10 km
Rota, Oldani & Leemreize go into the last 10km with an advantage of 43" on a chasing group (Buitrago, Hamilton, Kelderman & Mollema)#DomestiqueLive
— Domestique (@Domestique___) May 19, 2022
The trio, who didn’t have a single professional win between them, practically flew towards the finale and for one of them, a very special result.
🔥 The leading trio… on the highway 🛣️
🔥 Il terzetto di testa… in autostrada 🛣️#Giro pic.twitter.com/Gc1F6EUSZs
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 19, 2022
Not a single World Tour win among this front group – it would be a massive win for any one of them, and a 2 in 3 chance of a second Italian win in as many days #Giro105
— Katy M, Giro Edition (@writebikerepeat) May 19, 2022
Cat and Mouse
Leemreize almost took his Italian breakaway companions by surprise as he attempted a long range attack with under 1km to go, but Oldani showed huge strength as he closed him down with Rota just managing to get back on terms.
A sprint was now inevitable, but who out of the three would have enough energy left to take their first ever win? A game of cat and mouse ensued, with Leemreize once again trying to take it on from the front, though not surprisingly he had already burnt all his matches and soon fell off the pace. Stefano Oldani came past him, and with Lorenzo Rota on his wheel, had to grit his teeth and put it all on the line to secure his first professional victory, and a second stage win in a row for the Italians in Italy.
Italian party continues, Stefano Oldani wins first time as a pro and is there better way to start it than doing it at the #Giro? pic.twitter.com/LmBpzRq2u6
— Eemeli (@LosBrolin) May 19, 2022
But truly an exceptionally exciting day for all three of our leading riders.
📊✅🥇First pro-win for 🇮🇹Oldani, ✅First 🌍UWT-level top-3 for 🇮🇹Rota, ✅First top-3 in a professional race for 🇳🇱Leemreize #giro #giro105
— Cycling Statistics 📊 (@StatsOnCycling) May 19, 2022
Are we sure that this is not Mathieu? 😝 #Giro pic.twitter.com/ti5gS1pXx1
— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) May 19, 2022
GC Gains
Having lost huge chunks of time over the past gruelling days, Kelderman, Mollema, and Hamilton, all a part of the day’s 22-man breakaway, stormed their way back into the GC Top 20 by finishing 8 minutes ahead of the peloton and GC men. They end the day sitting now only approximately 3 minutes back on the maglia rosa. The question is whether they will be able to further those gains on the general classification, or if the trials to come will prove too much.
Kelderman getting that Guillaume Martin treatment where a potential GC guy is not considered as a threat and is able to win back several minutes on a hilly stage 😁 #Giro
— Cycling What Ifs 🤌 (@cyclingwhatifs) May 19, 2022
Seems silly to let Kelderman back in to GC relevancy… but can't help but think he'll shed it all again in the Dolomites
— Just Pro Cycling (@justprocycling) May 19, 2022
Whew!
Today's 204km stage, with 2867m of climbing, was raced at 45.88km/h. Casual.
— adam becket (@adambecket) May 19, 2022
Last word
Really really tough this, the emotion surrounding the remembrance of Wouter Weylandt. Very tough moments for the race 💔 #WW108 #Giro #Giro105
— Katy M, Giro Edition (@writebikerepeat) May 19, 2022
All the results
Stage results
1 Stefano Oldani (Alpecin-Fenix) 4:26:47
2 Lorenzo Rota (Intermarche Wanty-Gobert) same time
3 Gijs Leemreize (Jumbo-Visma) +0:02
4 Bauke Mollema (Trek Segafredo) +0:57
5 Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) s/t
GC Top 10
1 Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo) 51:19:07
2 Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) +0:12
2 Joao Almedia (UAE Team Emirates) +0:12
3 Romain Bardet (Team DSM) +0:14
5 Jai Hindley (Bora-hansgrohe) +0:20
6 Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) +0:28
7 Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) +0:29
8 Domenico Pozzovivo (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert) +0:54
9 Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-hansgrohe) +1:09
10 Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) +1:22
All the jerseys
Arriving at the podium for #9!! #Giro pic.twitter.com/9mtz2zaKBo
— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) May 19, 2022
Leader’s jersey : Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo)
Points jersey : Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ)
King of the Mountains: Diego Rosa (EOLO-Kometa)
Best young rider: Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo)
Team : Bora-hansgrohe
For full race results, go to CyclingNews
Official Giro d’Italia website is here