Ninth place for Davide Piganzoli in a very tough queen stage with six climbs on the menu

58º Giro Ciclístico della Valle d´Aosta
Stage 4: Pont-Saint-Martin – Pian Coumarial  (173,8 km)

Davide Piganzoli finished ninth on Saturday in what is considered the queen stage of this year’s edition of the Giro del Valle d’Aosta. A marathon stage of almost 174 kilometres, some more with the neutralised stage, with five climbs on the route and a sixth as a summit finish. Piga finished 2’46” behind the winner, New Zealander Reuben Thopmson (FDJ). Fernando Tercero finished 25th, 10’42” behind; David Domínguez, 34th at 14’14”.

The day, more than five hours on the bike, was a new exhibition of FDJ-Groupama, who were in command of the peloton all day, setting a very lively pace while a breakaway, first five riders, from the ascent to the Col d’Arlaz, Danish Skivild (UnoX) alone, devoured kilometres.

It would be on the penultimate pass, Perloz, 3.8 km at 8%, where FDJ Thompson and FDJ Lenny Martinez, also FDJ, leader of the race, would break away with Briton Oscar Onley (DSM) and Ethiopian Welay Berhe. The four of them managed to get more than a minute over a group of about twenty riders, in which Fernando Tercero, Davide Piganzoli and David Domínguez were riding. Both the leading quartet and the chasing group would lose units in the following stages of the race, while their advantage dropped to 40″. On the final climb, the exhibition and every man for himself.

Piganzoli, who had a bad day on the first day, recovered positions in a general classification in which Fernando Tercero moved up to 16th place, 13’17” behind Martínez. Piga is 27th, 22’15” behind Martinez; Dominguez is 30th, 25’35” behind. The last stage will arrive this Sundat at the demanding Cervinia.

📷 Alexis Courthoud / @GiroVdA