Tadej Pogačar received his fifth stage of the Giro d’Italia on Tuesday, taking victory within the freezing rain on the summit of Monte Pana on stage 16 at Santa Cristina Valgardena
It initially appeared like Giulio Pellizzarri (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) would triumph from the breakaway within the horrendous situations, however the race chief was hungry for an additional win.
As soon as he attacked from Rafał Majka’s again wheel, the Slovenian was no match for his rivals and he merely rode away from the remainder of the final classification group. Pogačar quickly swept up the remnants of the day’s breakaway on the ultimate climb earlier than he finally caught and handed Pellizzari.
His pink jersey soaked within the rain, Pogačar counted out his particular person stage victories on his hand earlier than elevating it to the sky in celebration as soon as extra as he prolonged his general lead within the race.
The Slovenian now has a spot of greater than seven minutes on Dani Martínez (Bora-Hansgrohe) who sits second general with only a handful of levels left earlier than the end in Rome on Sunday.
Pellizzarri took second behind Pogačar with Martínez claiming third. The Bora man leapfrogged Geraint Thomas within the general standings after the Welshman was distanced within the closing moments.
“The day began actually on and off and we didn’t know what to do, however after we began it was wonderful,” Pogačar stated after turning into dry clothes. “The breakaway went, and it was good for us, and we sat again and tried to loosen up however Movistar stored on pushing and stored the breakaway shut after which they went actually quick on the second final climb.”
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Pogačar was filled with reward for the person who completed second and handed Pellizarri his sun shades and pink jersey as a memento submit stage.
“I used to be considering that Pellizzari would win at this time’s stage and he was shut and I’m tremendous pleased that he arrives second additionally,” he added.
“I actually admire him on this Giro already and he despatched me a photograph that we took in 2019 I used to be really a small child and he was additionally a small child and it was a tremendous reminiscence from Strade Bianche and now he’s right here and he’s going actually sturdy and possibly he can win a stage this week.”
The way it occurred
(Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
The beginning of the stage was closely disrupted as a debate over whether or not or to not embody the Umbrail Cross within the route raged on in Livigno. All the peloton voted in favour of eradicating the mountain from the course which led to the stage begin being postponed as discussions continued.
Finally the race bought underway from Spondigna and was shortened to 120 kilometres with roughly 2,500 metres of elevation faraway from the course. The shortened stage led to a fast begin and a 4 man breakaway quickly fashioned.
With 62 kilometres left to the end on Monte Pana, Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Fast-Step), Mirco Maestri (Polti-Kometa), Davide Ballerini (Astana Qazaqstan) and Andrea Piccolo (EF Schooling-EasyPost) bought up the street and shortly established a spot of just below two minutes.
The breakaway didn’t contest the primary intermediate dash of the day in Bolzano because the riders bought set for the climbing to start with the Passo Pinei. With 41 kilometres left to journey the leaders had one minute and 36 seconds over the Movistar led peloton.
Because the Passo Pinei began, the breakaways hole started to tumble. Sensing that one other stage win was on the playing cards, Alaphilippe pushed on and shortly elevated his benefit on the peloton to nearly two minutes as his former breakaway compatriots languished in no man’s land on the climb.
With 25 kilometres to go, Alaphilippe had 1:55 on the peloton and was displaying no indicators of relenting. Pelayo Sanchez (Movistar) launched an assault from the peloton because the Passo Pinnei continued and quickly swallowed up the remnants of the breakaway as he went in the hunt for the previous world champion.
Movistar’s incessant work on the entrance of the peloton quickly minimize Alaphilippe’s result in simply 28 seconds because the Pinnei continued to decimate the final classification group. With 13 kilometres left, Sanchez suffered a quick mechanical situation on the climb because the Spanish staff continued to work to arrange Einer Rubio and transfer the Colombian up on GC.
Alaphilippe managed to push his lead again out to nearly a minute on the descent of the Passo Pinei. With six kilometres to go, he started Monte Panna with UAE and Pogačar scorching in pursuit within the GC group. The Frenchman was quickly caught and dropped by a 3 man chase group containing Giulio Pellizarri (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè).
The Pellizzari group initially appeared like they’d contest the stage however Pogačar had different concepts, After being arrange by his teammates, the race chief soloed clear from the GC group earlier than catching the trio of riders up forward.
There can be no stopping Pogačar as he took his fifth win of the race.
Outcomes
Giro d’Italia 2024, stage 16: Livigno > Santa Cristina Val Gardena (Monte Pana)
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Workforce Emirates, in 02:49:37
2. Giulio Pellizzari (Ita) VF Group–Bardiani–CSF–Faizanè, +16s
3. Dani Martínez (Col) Bora-Hansgrohe, at similar time
4. Cristian Scaroni (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan, +31s
5. Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Bahrain Victorious, +33s
6. Thymen Arensman (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers, +38s
7. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain Victorious, +39s
8. Michael Storer (Aus) Tudor Professional Biking, +42s
9. Ewen Costiuo (Fra) Arkea-B&B Lodges, at similar time
10. Valentin Paret-Peintre (Fra) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, +45s
Basic classification after stage 16
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Workforce Emirates, in 59:01:09
2. Daniel Martinez (Col) Bora-Hansgrohe, +7:18
3. Geraint Thomas (Gbr) Ineos Grenadiers, +7:40
4. Ben O’Connor (Aus) Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale, +8:42
5. Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Bahrain Victorious, +10:09
6. Thymen Arensman (Ned) Ineos Grenadiers, +10:33
7. Romain Bardet (Fra) dsm-firmenich PostNL, +12:18
8. Filippo Zana (Ita) Jayco-AIUla, +12:43
9. Einer Rubio (Col) Movistar, +13:09
10. Jan Hirt (Cze) Soudal Fast-Step, +14-07
