A first day of the Giro U23 saved in the peloton without any major complications
Giro d´Italia U23
Stage 1: Gradara – Argenta (163,8 km)
The 2022 edition of the Giro U23 started with a very Anglo-Saxon journalistic summary for the interests of the U23 structure of the Contador Foundation: “No news, good news”. No news, good news. The stage between Gradara and Argenta, the first of the Corsa Rosa and therefore susceptible to tensions and incidents, resulted in a sprint resolution in which the fastest was the Italian Zalf Alberto Bruttomesso and in which all the EOLO-KOMETA Cycling Team crossed the finish line in the middle of the peloton without major complications.
A first stage in which the riders rode at a very lively pace, with moments in which they rode at more than 65 km/h pushed by a strong headwind and crosswind. It was precisely at this moment that the greatest tension of the day was experienced with a split that split the big group in two for a few kilometres. A circumstance that, at the same time, ended up being crucial to bring down the first breakaway of the day, that of five riders (Marco Palomba, General Store; Gabriele Petrelli, CT Friuli; Valter Ghigino, Casillo-Petroli Firenze-Hopplà and Emanuele Ansaloni (InEmiliaRomagna) who would try again later).
Marcel Camprubí: “We are already in the race, enjoying this experience a lot. This race is another level. The day has had some quiet moments and some very tense moments. Especially at the start, when the breakaway was forming, and towards the end for the sprint. Also when the Tudor team tried to set up a fan. When you go fast the pace is crazy. But the important thing is that the day was saved”.
Rafa Díaz Justo, team manager: “It was a relatively long day, with good weather, disputed at a high speed and really only one ‘hot’ moment: when the peloton broke up with about 70 kilometres to go. Towards the end we were aiming for a good position with Fran, but with six kilometres to go he was hit on a wheel and we had to make a very quick change with the race going very fast. Fran was fortunately able to get back in. This first day, with the team profile we have in this race, was one of those that could have caused us the most problems. He was saved, which was the most important thing, and we are already looking ahead to the next stage”.
This Sunday the Giro U23 heads to Pinzolo with a second stage that will have a complicated second part. From the climb to Vigolo Vattaro, a second category climb, the stage enters a broken terrain and a final zone with an uphill trend.
[📷 @giroditaliau23 (1, 3), Óscar Falagán (2)]
