Classification This is the Giro
So dazzling is it, so wonderfully unique, that it is sometimes overlooked that
Remco Evenepoel is still 21 years old
. That he has more to discover than he has given him time to learn and that he is human, that he has limits like everyone else, although he is surely the most exceptional of all those who make a living by pedaling a bicycle. Never until this Wednesday had I faced a second week of racing, nor a rest day, nor a gymkhana on dirt sections. And in that Macedonian of circumstances and sensations Evenepoel found the kryptonite that in his first two years as a professional had been alien to him. The best news for him was that he was touched, but far from sunk. [Narration and classifications]
This Thursday was one of the most anticipated stages of this Giro, almost as much (or even more) than the high mountain ones, such as
this Saturday with a finish at the Zoncolan
. 32 kilometers of 'sterrato' through Tuscany, among the vineyards that the Strade Bianche pass is used to observe in March, dotted a route more typical of a classic than a Giro stage. In the retina were the memories of a similar stage in 2011, when the rain turned the dance floor into a quagmire. It was not like that on this occasion, a sunny day and pressed gravel, but it did not detract from a day that once again raised Egan Bernal as the strongest man in this Giro. And to Mauro Schmid, a 21-year-old Swiss who made his professional debut being the strongest of a breakout of 13 runners.
The break was successful because the peloton took the first two thirds of the stage quite calmly. In the absence of 60 kilometers, it had more than 14 minutes of advantage, enough for one of its members to be crowned. But the emotion was behind from the moment Ineos wanted to take advantage of the first nine kilometers of 'sterrato' to blow up the race.
Filippo Ganna began to roll at full power
(which in his case is a lot), took Bernal to the wheel and shouted for whoever could follow him. Only the Movistar, with Marc Soler, and the Trek, with Giulio Ciccone did it.
The cut did not last long, just three miles before almost everyone regrouped (
nothing was heard
from
Dan Martin and Davide Formolo
all day), but it served as a warning that Bernal was not going to settle for saving the day.
That he wanted whiplash.
The second section of 'sterrato' did not give much history, except for the detail that Evenepoel began to hint at a weakness that was to be confirmed a few kilometers later.
Mess with Almeida
The Belgian was positioned in the front on the road sections, but dropped to the tail of the peloton as soon as the gravel appeared. And he did it alone, his partner Joao Almeida remaining in the lead positions. It was weird, but it could just be a strategy. A
Simon Yates
, for example, you usually like to
lose positions as he senses that there will be moves ahead.
Just in case, it was up to Ineos to test whether Evenepoel's problems were real or just a pose. So on the third gravel stage, about 20 kilometers from the finish, Bernal decided to accelerate the pace in first person, after seeing that the attempts of his teammate
Gianni Moscon were
not of sufficient quality. And then the cake was discovered. Evenepoel, frail as he had never been seen since his professional debut, began to lose ground, while there were still 20 men left in the group of the best.
It took Almeida about three more kilometers to get down from the group to help their leader.
If it was an order from the Deceuninck, it's hard to understand.
If it was the Portuguese thing, the anger that is going to fall on him is going to be fierce.
That's right.
Because not only did he take forever to do what he had to do (whether it was his decision or not), but then he jerked forward,
making Evenepoel suffer
when his task was just the opposite.
Strange is little.
Mauro Schmid, winner of the stage.JENNIFER LORENZINIREUTERS
The rest continued on their way, in a group that was shrinking more and more until, with four kilometers to go, Bernal struck a deadly thrust. After skirmishes by
Aleksandr Vlasov and Hugh Carthy
, the Colombian launched an attack, already on asphalt, which left everyone trembling. They grabbed Emmanuel Buchmann, who was walking a few meters ahead, together they crowned the Passo del Lume Spento and launched themselves towards the finish line at Montalcino, which Schmid had reached three minutes earlier.
His rent with
Vlasov, Caruso, Carthy and Yates
(the men who, in this order, now succeed him in the general) was about 30 seconds, but he managed to get 2'08 '' to Evenepoel (2'22 '' now in the general).
An income that, despite everything, was small for the difficulties that Belgian talent had to face.
His lifesaver was that on the asphalt he rolled at a good pace and managed to limit the accumulated losses in the 'sterrato', the kryptonite of those who seemed invincible.
It is not, although it was difficult for us to accept it.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
Egan bernal
sports
cycling
Giro d'ItaliaBernal wins in the infernal 'sterrato' and dons the pink 'jersey'
Giro d'Italia 2021Mikel Landa, the most daring of the favorites in the first mountain test
Giro d'Italia 2021Ganna sweeps at almost 60 km / h, Evenepoel appears and Landa doubts
See links of interest
2021 business calendar
Home THE WORLD TODAY
Stage 11 of the Giro: Perugia - Montalcino