Giro d’Italia, 2nd stage (Alcamo-Agrigento): Ulissi wins, Ganna remains in pink

Diego Ulissi won the second stage of the Giro d’Italia arriving in Agrigento. The UAE driver Emirates beat Sagan and Honoré in a short race. Seventh victory in the pink race for the 31-year-old Ulissi, the first disappointment at this Giro for the Slovak Bora-Hansgrohe champion. With no gap between the big names, Filippo Ganna remains in the pink jersey after winning the opening time trial.

The race

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The stage measures 149 kilometers from Alcamo to Agrigento, home to the arrival of the pink race on several occasions: in 1965 with the victory of Guido Carlesi, in 1982 with the triumph of Moreno Argentin, then Bjarne Riis in 1993 and in 2008 Riccardo Riccò . In 1999, the Giro started from Agrigento. The city also hosted the world road championship in 1994, won by Frenchman Luc Leblanc against Claudio Chiappucci. The second stage of the Giro is full of ups and downs with two great mountain prizes in the fourth category, second in the finish line. In the first kilometers he immediately attacks De Gendt, followed by Bais, Tonelli, Gastauer and Van Empel. The Belgian was the first to cross the GPM of Santa Ninfa and the flying goal. The group sprint is won by Gaviria, during the sprint he slipped on the asphalt for Viviani without consequences. 18 km from the finish, he falls in a group, Edet has the worst that he gets up with difficulty and takes the bicycle again. With 8 km to go, the group returns compact, in the final shots and counterattacks with Conti setting the pace for Ulissi. In the last kilometer, the UAE rider is good at surprising Sagan and Honoré in the short sprint, able to gain a slight margin over their rivals. Eighth Vincenzo Nibali, a good sign of the Sicilian Trek-Segafredo in sight of the Etna stage.

Retreats

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Two riders did not start: the Colombian from Astana López, victim of a fall in the opening time trial and the Italian Covili who had a mechanical problem with his motorcycle and finished the time trial out of time. During the second stage the young Astana Vlasov, one of the possible surprises of the Giro, was forced to abandon the race due to stomach problems. Hard blow for Astana from Fuglsang, who are without two fundamental riders uphill.

big me

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Among the men in the standings, Geraint Thomas remains fourth, 26 “behind Britain’s Simon Yates. At 1 06” Vincenzo Nibali, 1 24 “Fuglsang and 1 21” Kruijswijk.

tomorrow

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In the third stage the second uphill final of the 103rd edition of the pink race, 150 km from Enna to Etna (Linguaglossa Piano Provenzana). The first 130 km are continuous ups and downs. From Linguaglossa begins the final climb of almost 20 km, a first-class mountain grand prix on the northeast side of Etna. The average slope of the ascent to the volcano is 6.6%, the highest averages are around 9% and the peak of 11% is located 1500 m from the arrival.