In Sestola, another top-ten for the Polartec-Kometa with a new red Moschetti jersey
Giro d’Italia U23
Stage 2: Nonantola-Sestola (138.2 km)
At the finish line in Sestola, where the Giro d’Italia 2016 came in, with a stage for Gulio Ciccone and a’pink’ for Bob Jungels, the change of tenant at the head of the provisional general classification of the Giro Baby. The Austrian Markus Wildauer (Tyrol) dressed in the pink jersey after winning alone, and with more than half a minute’s margin, over the Italian Alessandro Covi (Colpack): Matteo Moschetti, tenth, and integrated into a first main pack that reached 44 seconds and which also included Michel Ries, was the first of the Polartec-Kometa riders at the finish line. The Milanese, given their regularity, among the top ten in the three stages played (seventh in the prologue, sixth this Friday, tenth today), also eleventh in the provisional general classification, is the new leader of the classification of points that distinguishes the red jersey.
“The first two hours were really fast and there were a lot of attacks,” explains Michel Ries, who is still quietly running for the big mountain days and finished in 19th place in Sestola. A crazy, frenetic start, in which Patrick Gamper was involved in one of the first attempts at escape that took place at the beginning of the stage. His attempt would not succeed in crystallizing, but another later one where the leader Philipsen would be introduced with eight other riders; a flight that, reduced to a trio, would end up reaching the last ten kilometers.
“Before the first scoring climb there was a breakaway of thirteen riders in which we had no presence. Patrick, Diego and Isaac worked very hard to neutralize them and to get us into a good position. I lost no time and Matteo, who finished tenth, has the red jersey. I think it was a good day for us,” said a Ries who is just over a minute behind in 23rd place in the standings. “The sensations have been very good. I’ve arrived with the first group. With 500 metres to go, after leaving Matteo in a good position, I’ve already let myself go a bit. It’s a pity about yesterday’s crash, it gives me courage, but that’s cycling,” said Lopez, one of those who fell yesterday on his way to Forli. López and Isaac Cantón arrived with the front group, giving in for a few seconds.
An arrival in Sestola in which some riders have been able to see themselves running for the general classification, such as Covi himself and his compatriot Corradini, the German Schinnagel, the Colombian Wilmar Paredes, the Australian Robert Stannard, the Belgian Julian Mertens or the Russian Nicolay Cherkasov. Lizarte’s Catalan Roger Adriá finished ninth, just ahead of Matteo.
This Sunday the U23 Giro faces its longest stage. There will be 164.3 kilometres between Rio Saliceto and Mornico al Serio, totally flat, where the figure of Matteo Moschetti will emerge again with a view to a possible sprint victory. A volata in which he has to defend his red jersey from the overall points and which will precede the two mountain days of Monday and Tuesday, the finals at Passo Maniva and Malga di Dimaro.
(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)
