In the longest stage of the Italian race, which was over 239 kilometers, the traditional breakaway formed early on. Two riders attacked and opened a gap that reached a maximum of six minutes. The breakaway seemed to hold on for a long time, but was caught 145 kilometers from the finish.
The peloton, which had been racing in harsh conditions, kept a steady pace for the time being. Attention quickly turned to the finale, where a long, steady climb awaited. On the final climb, several riders tried to make a move, but a large group surged towards the finish line. Vendrame proved to be the fastest in the sprint after nearly 240 kilometers.
"I’m happy I didn’t lose any time, and the feeling is good"
Cian Uijtdebroeks
“It was really cold, and I suffered a lot", Uijtdebroeks reflects. “It was especially important to stay mentally strong. I kept motivating myself, and my legs were in good condition. I definitely had the legs to attack, but when the attacks came, I was just too far back. Luckily, I was able to close the gap quite easily afterwards. I’m happy I didn’t lose any time, and the feeling is good.”
Sportive director Maarten Wynants also saw a strong performance from Uijtdebroeks but is disappointed that Simon Yates couldn’t finish in the first group. “We didn’t expect Simon to lose time. That’s really a bitter pill. Fortunately, Cian was in good shape. Olav (Kooij) also showed strength but had to let go due to the high pace. […]
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