A superlative day of the Kometa Cycling Team in Italy, with Jhon Stiven Ramírez present in the breakaway

42º Giro d´Italia Giovani Under 23
Stage 8: Rosà – Falcade (133.6 km)

The Colombian Jhon Stiven Ramírez signed a sensational performance for the interests of the Kometa Cycling Team U23 after finishing seventh in a demanding eighth stage in which he was one of the protagonists of the escape of the day. Ramírez was a member of a numerous escape of eighteen riders that was conformed in the first third, moments in which it was flying to 46 km/h in spite of the intense rain, Ramírez was attentive later to the selection that exercised the step by the Passo Cereda and the Forcella Aurine. The Colombian did not hesitate to pass to the attack in a last kilometer after which they ended up playing so prestigious triumph seven riders. The victory in that reduced sprint was for Nicola Venchiarruti.

“It has been a very difficult day, with rain and so on. But well, to be in front of a stage is very exciting. At the time I was thinking about everything. I was really hungry to win and I tried it with an attack in the last pass. I attacked. Most of the members of the escape are professionals, and are quite strong, but I tried. I’ve given my best today beyond the fact that in the end I was on the ground. Despite the fall, I’m happy with this day,” explains the South American rider. A Giro of less to more for Ramírez, who somehow had his turning point in the stage of Mortirolo after a few days of more suffering: “It is a port with a unique hardness, but I have enjoyed a lot of pain in the legs and chest to raise it whole”.

Satisfaction for Ramírez and also for the collective of the Kometa in the defense of their interests. A fall of Sergio García, who went to the ground after not being able to avoid a rider who suddenly crossed him, triggered from behind a sensational performance of the rest of runners of the sub23 team of the Alberto Contador Foundation in the field before the big climbs of this Saturday. Arturo Grávalos, Edu Pérez-Landaluce and Carlos García applied themselves to the maximum to put the Andalusian back in the leader’s pack and face with the maximum guarantees the final ascent.

García ended up crossing the finish line at 5:27 from the winner, less than a minute and a half from the leader, the Colombian Camilo Ardila Andrés. In the general standings, the Spaniard ended up winning two places and is now in 17th place, 19:18 from the pink jersey. The Giro Baby finishes this Sunday with a frenetic and demanding stage that will end in La Marmolada after 39.9 kilometres that are supposed to be crazy. The frenetic beginnings are a constant in the Italian round.

“The whole day has been full, at a very high speed. And the whole team has been formidable. Formidable. In a small stop, the escape took place and Jhon got into it. He had already shown us on Friday that he was improving. He rolled in that leak, was the protagonist of it. They took a lot of time and facing the finish line they couldn’t cut back so much, because there were important people in front, of high level, and they were walking a lot. There were moments when we dreamed, of course, but being a downwardly stinging finish we were aware of the difficulty. If it had been a high finish, I’m sure things would have been very different,” concludes Rafa Diaz Justo, director of the Kometa Cycling Team.

(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)

📸 Andrew Peat