Alejandro Ropero retains the pink in a stage of uneven start and protagonism for Sergio García
Giro d´Italia U23
Etapa 2: Gradara – Riccione (125 km)
Spaniard Alejandro Ropero remains at the head of the general classification of the Giro d’Italia U23 after a second stage in which his compatriot Sergio García was one of the great protagonists of the day as he rode within the breakaway of five riders who stood out during the climb to Pietrarubbia and managed to face the last kilometres at the front. The stage victory went to Luca Colnaghi, who stood out slightly from a pack that caught the breakaway on the last kilometre.
The second part of the Corsican U23 had a turbulent start, with two big falls that forced the race to be stopped for several minutes over the first fifteen kilometres. The organisers opted to neutralise the race until kilometre 27 and then relaunch it at that point. On a steep slope before the climb, five riders stood out: Sergio Garcia (Kometa Xstra), Lorenzo Ginestra (Aran Cucine Vejus), Giacomo Ballabio (Iseo Serrature.Rime-Carnovali), Joab Schneiter (Swiss Racing Academy) and Gabriele Porta (Gallina Colosio Eurofeed).
For García it was the third escape of the day, as he managed to catch two other escapes that were forming at the time the race was neutralised. The quintet will have a five-minute margin over a pack that will work hard to bring it down, although they will not be able to do so until the final kilometre after they enter the last ten with a half-minute margin. The prospect of a volley, however, will be broken by Luca Colnaghi.
“At some point I did think we could make it. I’m not a particularly fast rider. My presence in that breakaway was due to the control of Alejandro’s leadership, because some of the members were very close in the general and have become provisional leaders. I could not collaborate fully at the front for this reason and the rest of the riders have reached a moment when they have started to control and look at each other”, explains Sergio García.
Alejandro Ropero, maglia rosa: “The team has done a good job in maintaining the maglia. I will face the third stage with a lot of joy, but we are not thinking about anything else but tomorrow. The first part has been a little crazy, with many falls. In the final part, after the climb, we noticed that the wind was blowing in our favour, it was very fast. We knew that we had to be ahead to save the pink and we achieved the goal. We are going to try to keep it up, but day by day”.
This Monday, third stage: 150.5 kilometres between Riccione and Mordano where the spicy one will be put by the ascents to Monte Carla, Monticino, Mazzolano and Bergullo. A new day with Alejandro Ropero leading the general of the Giro d’Italia U23.
? Isola Press (1 y 2) / Kometa-Xstra Cycling Team (3)
(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)
