Giro d'Italia, Kasper Asgreen wins in Nova Gorica, Mads Pedersen and Giulio Ciccone fall
Saturday brings good luck for breakaways at the Giro d’Italia, which, after Luke Plapp in Castelraimondo, celebrated Kasper Asgreen in Nova Gorica/Gorizia. The Dane, winner of the Tour of Flanders 2021, got rid of the company of Mirco Maestri and Martin Marcellusi with 6.5 km to go, going on to take the first solo victory of his career in the Corsa Rosa.
The early part of the peloton, which included among others the Maglia Rosa Isaac Del Toro, Simon Yates, Richard Carapaz and Derek Gee, was being set by Kaden Groves on Olav Kooij. The peloton had split with 23 km to go following a crash that saw Cyclamen Jersey Mads Pedersen and his teammate Giulio Ciccone, among others, end up on the ground.
The sore Abruzzo rider crossed the finish line more than 16 minutes late, effectively dropping out of the rankings. Also delayed were Juan Ayuso, Primož Roglič and Egan Bernal, who lost 48″ from the Maglia Rosa, while the delay was heavier for Antonio Tiberi, who finished 1’44” from the leader. The new general classification sees Del Toro strengthen his lead with 1’16” over Simon Yates and 1’24” over Ayuso, who slips to third.
ORDIN D’ARRIVAL
1 – Kasper Asgreen (EF Education – EasyPost) – 195km in 4h04’40”, average of 47.820 km/h
2 – Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) at 16″
3 – Olav Kooij (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) s.t.
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG)
2 – Simon Yates (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) at 1’20”
3 – Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates XRG) at 1’26”
“It was a tough day. It is frustrating to have to completely destroy yourself like this to win a race, but when it works it is really worth it, so I am overjoyed. The team gave me permission and freedom to try it today, and I am very grateful for that,” Asgreen said after the finish.
“I knew that in the second half of a Grand Tour everyone’s legs are tired, and today that was what made the difference in making the breakaway go away. The weather conditions also worked in my favor. The final circuit was quite technical, and with the wet asphalt it was even harder for the peloton to catch up with us. It’s great to win a stage in the Giro d’Italia after having already done it in the Tour de France. Now I am one step closer to the hat trick”.
Here are the statements of the pink jersey Del Toro: “Some riders fell in front, I was not in the very first positions but I ended up on the ground because someone hit me from behind. I was able to get back up and go right back to the first positions. I don’t know what happened behind me, I had no idea how big the group was”.
“When I saw Visma and Alpecin in the lead, I knew I was in the main group. At that point I relaxed and made it to the finish line. Visma was already pulling for Olav Kooij, I don’t want to justify what they did, but I guess they were trying to win the stage. The times in the overall standings have changed a bit, but in my head and body everything is the same: I want to stay up there at the front. I am in good shape and the people around me give me confidence”.
