Historical past repeated itself on Sunday. As Marco Pantani had carried out 25 years earlier, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Crew Emirates) overcame a mechanical on the decrease slopes of the Santuario di Oropa and rode solo to a stage win on the mountain’s summit.
The Slovenian suffered a entrance wheel puncture with 11km to go on day two of the Giro d’Italia, and tumbled to the ground. He then shortly discovered his place again within the bunch and attacked with 4.5km to go, charging alone up double-figure gradients to nudge out his benefit and safe the pink jersey.
It took simply two days for Pogačar to style victory on his Giro debut. The 25-year-old now joins an unique membership of riders who’ve gained phases in any respect three Grand Excursions.
“That was one in all my desires after I gained a stage within the Tour [de France],” he mentioned afterwards. “I used to be simply lacking the Giro, in order that was at all times in my thoughts. To have all three stage wins is one thing that not many riders have, and it is a huge factor in biking. I am super-happy.”
On the foot of the ultimate climb, although, Pogačar’s victory prospects appeared doubtful, when he crashed limply onto the tarmac.
“I used to be fairly calm,” he mentioned when requested in regards to the puncture. “I hit a gap within the metropolis and simply had a super-fast flat tyre. I believe I broke the wheel, additionally. It was a bit little bit of confusion. I needed to cease earlier than the nook, not after the nook, however the DS within the automobile mentioned, ‘After the nook. After the nook.’
“I additionally crashed, however it was nothing severe. I used to be feeling good, and the workforce was additionally super-good immediately. They clawed me again to the entrance, and we set the tempo that we like, and it was excellent.”
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“I simply needed a stage win immediately and a few hole, to check the legs a bit bit. The dream was to take the pink jersey. Now I can chill out a bit bit over the following phases with the workforce and keep secure within the sprints.”
Pogačar now leads the Giro d’Italia with a 45-second lead over Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers), who got here third on stage two. The day’s runner-up, Dani Martínez (Bora-Hansgrohe), sits in third general, on the identical time as Thomas.
The way it occurred
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
The second stage of the Giro d’Italia introduced an unusually early summit end – the earliest, the truth is, in 35 years.
With the climb to Santuario di Oropa beckoning, the peloton selected to ease into the primary half of the race. They let a five-rider breakaway free, an all-Italian group, who cruised by the Piedmont plains only a handful of minutes up the highway.
With 52km to go, EF Schooling-EasyPost’s Andrea Piccolo went in the hunt for solo glory. The 23-year-old shot out of the breakaway and rode alone over two category-three climbs, sweeping up dash and mountains factors.
On the foot of the ultimate climb, catastrophe struck for Pogačar. A entrance wheel puncture left the Slovenian off the again of the peloton, crashing to the ground as his tyre got here off the rim.
Lengthy-term biking followers thought instantly to Pantani, who, on the identical slopes in 1999, suffered a mechanical and handed 49 riders to take victory and seal the pink jersey. May Pogačar do the identical? Sure, it might prove, he may.
Paced again to the entrance his UAE Crew Emirates team-mates, Pogačar and the bunch swept up Piccolo to arrange a GC battle on Oropa. With 4.5km to go, the two-time Tour champion rose out of his saddle and thrashed down on his pedals. Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) tried to observe, towing Thomas, however one bike size shortly stretched out to 4, and Pogačar sailed clear, on his solution to victory.
On the line, the Slovenian’s benefit prolonged to 27 seconds. He wasted no time in celebrating earlier than the race was over, as an alternative opting to eke out as many seconds as he may over his pink jersey rivals.
For now, and maybe for the following three weeks, that jersey belongs to him.
Outcomes
Giro d’Italia 2024, stage two: San Francesco al Campo > Santuario di Oropa (161km)
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Crew Emirates, in 3-54-20
2. Dani Martínez (Col) Bora-Hansgrohe, +27s
3. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers
4. Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan
5. Florian Lipowitz (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe, all at identical time
6. Michael Storer (Aus) Tudor Professional Biking, +30s
7. Cian Uijtdebroeks (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike
8. Einer Rubio (Col) Movistar, each at identical time
9. Juanpe López (Esp) Lidl-Trek, +35s
10. Jan Hirt (Cze) Soudal Fast-Step, +37s
Basic classification after stage two
1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Crew Emirates, in 3-54-20 2.
2. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers, +45s
3. Dani Martínez (Col) Bora-Hansgrohe, at identical time
4. Cian Uijtdebroeks (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike, +54s
5. Einer Rubio (Col) Movistar, at identical time
6. Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita) Astana Qazaqstan, +1-05
7. Juanpe López (Esp) Lidl-Trek, +1-09
8. Jan Hirt (Cze) Soudal Fast-Step, +1-11
9. Esteban Chavez (Col) EF Schooling-EasyPost, +1-24
10. Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Qazaqstan, at identical time
