Covid-19 hits the Giro; Thomas continues with the rose

German Pascal Ackermann (UAE Emirates) he had to wait for a “photo finish” to celebrate his victory in the eleventh stage of the Giro d’Italia, between Camaiore and Tortona, of 219 km, the longest day of this edition.

It was again marked by the casualties caused Covid-19 and some falls, such as the one that cost the Spanish Óscar Rodríguez (Movistar) and the third overall, the British Tao Geoghegan (Ineos) to retire.

A day that hit from the start covid, lived with the shocks of the falls, in which important people were affected, such as the leader himself Geraint Thomasthe main favorite Primož Roglić and Tao Geoghegan, winner of the Giro 2020.

From the start, Covid left the Soudal Quick Step with three men in the race after the positives of Jan Hirt, Josef Cerny, Louis Vervaeke and Mattie Cattane. Then other illnesses and accidents left a total of 10 casualties for the day.

There are already 19 runners who have left Turn to Covid, Because to those mentioned we must add a long list that includes: Vlasov, Urán, Pozzovivo, Scotson, Bystrom, Würtz Schmidt, Riesebeek, Taaramaë, Russo, Conci, Aleotti and Filippo Ganna.

The escape of the day was led by 6 drivers, including Diego Pablo Sevilla (Eolo-Kometa), who from the very beginning set off on an adventure with Konychev and Sotjnica (Corratec), Rex (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), Champion (GreenCofidis) and Magli (GreenCofidis) Project-Bardiani).

The escape was doomed in advance, it was an eternal day to keep the squad at bay. The sextet had a maximum advantage of 4.22 minutes, but this gradually decreased as they faced the difficulties of the second part of the stage.’

19

The runners were positive.

eleven

The stage won by Ackermann.

waterfalls

As if that wasn’t enough covid, falls began to cause shocks. In the first, still far from the finish, the leader Thomas and the main opponent Primoz Roglic crashed on the asphalt, but both managed to get on the motorcycle and return to the main part.

Óscar Rodríguez and Tao Geoghegan fared worse, third overall. A spectacular fall with a worse outlook than the previous one. In fact, they both had to retire. In the case of the Briton, one of the favorites for the podium and a key player for Ineos in the battle for the pink jersey in Rome.

The leak continued its course, the agony of its components continued, it weakened little by little in its project. The Belgian Laurenz Rex was the last rebel, but he handed over the white flag 6 km from the finish line, destroyed by the peloton that was already preparing for a sprint.

Ackermann wins and Thomasn remains in the lead

A new stage, but not exempt from that ungrateful part, which is falls. Eolo Kometa started a group for Maestri or Albenese, but Ackermann’s UAE and Pedersen’s Trek entered the fray from afar. Another accident reduced the group to 30 units, with d3 2.8 km to the Tortona finish line.

It was the German who started the ordeal 200 meters from the last line, he held on to the lead with tremendous strength, under pressure from Jonathan Milan, ready for a double. Mark Cavendish also entered, promoting a very difficult, contested and spectacular sprint among all the protagonists.

In the end, the picture from the arrival showed that Ackermann (Kandel, 29 years old) was the fastest. The sprinter, who raised his hands twice at the Vulta, recorded his third Giro victory, taking his record to 39 in total. His team needed success and the German gave it to them in Tortona.

On the overall podium, Thomas kept the pink jersey 2 seconds ahead of Roglic and 22 ahead of Joao Almeida, who moved up one place, bringing another joy to the UAE.

This Thursday, the twelfth stage, between Bra and Rivoli, is 179 km long. There are two climbs on the route, Peddager (3rd, 13.2km at 2.7%) and Colle Braid (2nd, 10.7km at 5.9), with the summit 28km from the finish.