Damiano Caruso won the penultimate stage from Giro. Ranking second man led nearly 50 kilometers in attack and caught on with great difficulty in the final ascent. However, Caruso’s final throw for Pink failed: Egan Bernal crossed the finish line in second place and kept the teams within limits. With the exception of a good dose of bad luck, the Colombian can no longer escape from the pink shirt only with the last experience on the show.
How was the victory achieved?
In the first half of the theater, a leading group of nine knights broke up. Additionally, there are two Alpecin-Fenix Belgians: Louis Vervaeke and national hero Dries De Bondt. Or who would you have thought differently? There were some counter reactions in the peloton, including from Vincenzo Nibali, but they were not successful.
At the foot of the first slope of the day was the 24 km Paso San Bernardino, Luis Vervaeck accelerated into the leading group. Initially, Felix Grosschartner and home contestant Simon Bellaud went. The latter had to withdraw due to a financial problem, but was able to return later in climbing – just like Vincenzo Albanese and old fox Giovanni Visconti.
At peloton, the DSM team opened the throttle to Commander Roman Bardet, causing the gap with the Five Commanders to narrow at a rapid pace. In the relegation, Bardet and some of his teammates made it to the leading group alongside second-seed Damiano Caruso. Rose’s Ineos Grenadiers of Asian Bernal had to go to work.
On the second lane of the day, Splügen Pass, the relief continued in the foreground. Things also went very fast for Louis Vervaeck up front. Left: Binaries. The DSM team had Bardet and Michael Storer, Bahrain-Victorious do it with Caruso and Bilo Bilbao. The Quartet maintained its lead by nearly 40 seconds over the other candidates. Egan Bernal couldn’t stand a slip, as Caruso was 2’29 inches in order.
On Alpe Motta, Gero’s last climb, Bardet and Caruso find themselves alone when their servants’ work is over. In the group of favorites, Daniel Martinez drove everything to bits with Captain Bernal at the wheel. Only Simon Yates and João Almeida can handle the fast pace.
Two kilometers from the end, things went too fast for Bardet up front: the Frenchman had to let Caruso drive. Behind the Italian who unleashed, led Bernal to second place. Including bonuses, the Colombian must give up 30 seconds to Caruso, until he begins the final trial by 1’59 ”.
Who else was in the spotlight?
Louis Vervaeck was the Belgian at the time: he made a positive impression again at the start of the breakup. It was not possible to compete to win a stage because the peloton had not blessed, but our compatriot was impressed with the smooth climb.
The DSM Forces are also commendable. Aneos Grenadiers did not lead them to the massacre and took over the leadership of leader Roman Bardet. Because Damiano Caruso and teammate Bilo Bilbao also competed, we’re still in the penultimate stage in terms of classification. However, Egan Bernal had a great day and managed to limit the damage.
What have you done my favorites?
The 33-year-old Damiano Caruso had already surpassed himself in the whole Giro, but the Italian did not want to accept the second place. When Roman Bardet and teammate Michael Storer fled away on the Splogen Pass, Caruso and teammate Bilu Bilbao played the game. Then Storer and Bilbao emptied their coffers for their commanders.
In the final ascent, a second match ensued: Caruso and Bardet were alone after leaving their servants, while Daniel Martinez set a tight pace in the chasing group and let the gap shrink little by little. For example, Bernal was put in a seat and the Colombian did not lose much time on Caruso.
Anything else you should know?
Geoffrey Bouchard also managed to keep his blue mountain jersey on the final mountain stage. And so the Frenchman AG2R-Citroën got for the second time in his career a mountain jersey on a major tour, because in 2019 he also succeeded in Vuelta. Only the prestigious polka-dotted shirt from the Tour de France is still missing.
Today’s stage began in Verbania, the home of world champion on trial Filippo Jana. Three weeks earlier, he won the opening time trial of Gero in Turin. Tomorrow (Sunday) he aims to win again the latest beta. Could a short visit home and his dog Mia give him an extra boost?
Moreover, there was also a strange scene to be seen. Just like last Monday, the riders had to handle a spectator who “encouraged” them with … a chainsaw. Read more about it here.
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