Fernando Tercero and Davide Piganzoli salvage a day in which Groupama-FDJ launches a long-distance offensive

45º Giro d´Italia U23
Stage 5: Busca – Peveragno (146,6 km).

No quiet day in a race like the Giro U23. The presence of a major climb such as the Santuario di Valmala within the first twenty kilometres of the stage invited for attacks. And so it was, with Groupama-FDJ going on the attack and building a breakaway of six riders in which it had four representatives.

Romain Grégoire, Lenny Martinez, Lorenzo Germani, Reuben Thompson (Groupama-FDJ), Lorenzo Milesi (Team DSM) and Felix Engelhardt (Tirol-KTM) were the six riders who led the race for many kilometres with a lead of no more than three minutes over a growing group that included leader Hayter and ‘EOLO-KOMETA’ Fernando Tercero and Davide Piganzoli. It was a battle for the general classification.

In the final part of the stage, after the neutralisation of the sextet with 26 kilometres to go, several offensive movements took place. Four riders, Hannes Wilksch (Team DSM), Simon Dalby (Uno-X), Xabier Berasategi (Laboral-Kutxa) and Gil Gelders (Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB), managed to get a foothold at the front to play for a victory that went to Gelders. The main bunch was 29 seconds behind with Andrea Montoli (20th), Davide Piganzoli (23rd) and Fernando Tercero (27th). Marcel Camprubí arrived a few seconds later (57th, 39″ behind).

Further back was Fran Muñoz, who suffered a fall on the Valmala descent and was unable to rejoin the first group. Fernando Tercero tells: “On the descent they went very fast and managed to get to the front. We knew that there was a long stage left and that the terrain was not the most favourable for them”.

Rafa Díaz Justo, director of the U23 team: “The design of this stage and its placement before the other queen stage meant that there could be attacks from important people. Groupama-FDJ made a very strong bet with a breakaway of many carats that was very difficult to break down. Both Fernando and Davide were where they needed to be at all times. This Friday comes a very demanding stage where anything can happen given the size of the Fauniera climb”.

[📷 @giroditaliau23]