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EFE · Road Competition · 12/10/2020
After 9 stages, the Giro d’Italia presents an interesting panorama, with many unknowns, without a defined pattern and with all the excitement to develop, since the great favorites, such as Nibali, Fuglsang and Kruijswijk meet in a handful of seconds in the assault on the pink jersey worn by the Portuguese Joao Almeida.
Almeida, leader since the third stage, landed on the first day of rest wearing the pink jersey that he wore on Etna. The 22-year-old Portuguese pearl of Deceuninck is a cyclist of the future, and no one dares to rule him out for the podium, but it will be difficult for him to hold out until Milan with a terrible third week in the mountains.
The list of favorites was reduced after the withdrawal of great names from the general, such as the Gals Geraint Thomas (Ineos), the Colombian Miguel ngel Lpez (Astana), the Russian Aleksandr Vlasov (Astana) and the English Simon Yates (Mitchelton). .
But there are still others who have the opportunity to win the beautiful trophy of “Infinite Love”. Veterans are called to a golden opportunity, starting with local idol Vincenzo Nibali (Trek), double winner of the Giro, experienced, and at 35 ready to feel again the emotion of the pink jersey.
Along with the “Shark of Messina” emerges Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), another boy of the same age. The Danish, with the team greatly reduced by casualties, is 4 seconds behind Nibali, and one minute behind Joao Almeida.
In the main list, the Portuguese takes half a minute to the Dutch Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb), currently the main rival. This one has on the favorable plane two time trials that can give it an advantage. In grand tours the most remarkable thing he has done was fourth place in the 2017 Tour.
After the first full week, the podium has a Spanish tenant, Pello Bilbao (Gernika-Lumo, 30 years old), excited at the helm of the Bahrain McLaren and in good shape after his participation in the Tour. The Basque will fight for the places of honor. He is now 39 seconds behind the leader.
Bilbao, Spain’s time trial champion, will be able to show their skills in Saturday’s 34-kilometer time trial between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene.
Great satisfaction cannot be expected from the Spanish squad in this Giro. Antonio Pedrero (Movistar) is ranked 16 at 2 minutes and 17 seconds and his teammate Sergio Samitier is nineteenth at 4 minutes and 6 seconds. Expectations go through trying to catch some stage triumph.
He Italy tour It is resumed with the dispute of the tenth stage between Lanciano and Tortoreto, of 177 kilometers, a day that arrives after the break with an undulating route, without great difficulties, but with an interesting ending in a circuit with dangerous walls near the goal, some with great slopes conducive to attacks.
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