The group let go of a breakaway of 28 riders and in the final two fought for the victory, the Slovenian sprinted and beat the Australian. The pink jersey precedes the other big names on the finish line.
The 30-year-old Slovenian from Bahrain-McLaren broke the Australian O’Connor in the last meters after a long escape. Quiet day for the big players. Nobody tried to put the pink jersey of Joao Almeida in difficulty, who sprinted at the finish to increase his margin on Wilco Kelderman, 17 “behind in the general classification.
THE RACE-
Early in the stage from Udine to San Daniele del Friuli, a break formed with 28 riders: Bidard, Bouchard, Vendrame, Warbasse, Bisolti, Cepeda, Boaro, Felline, Battaglin, Tratnik, Tonelli, Zana, Fabbro, Poljanski, Malecki, Rosskopf, Whelan, Guerreiro, Oldani, Rubio, Samitier, O’Connor, Puccio, Swift, Bernard, Conti, Rota and the Visconti blue jersey. On the first GPM of the day, the 37-year-old from Vini Zabù manages to precede his rival for the classification of climbers, Guerreiro, twice out of three, consolidating his leadership. At Majano the runners enter the final circuit. On his first pass on Monte di Ragogna (third category GPM, 2.8 km at 10.4% average with peaks of 16%) he tries the lunge Guerreiro, who sprints to take the points of the GPM, Visconti chases him. At this point the advantage of the escapees over the group is 11 ‘.
Tratnik and Boaro try the attack from afar and resist the comeback of the opponents. On the second pass on Ragogna the Slovenian is joined by Bouchard, Battaglin, Tonelli, Malecki , O’Connor and Swift.
On the third and final lap on the third category GPM, Tratnik is caught by O’Connor. The Slovenian and the Australian proceed in mutual agreement until the last kilometer. On the last stretch Tratnik snaps in the face of O’Connor and takes his first victory in a Grand Giro. Third Battaglin, Tratnik’s teammate at Bahrain-McLaren. The maglia rosa of Joao Almeida manages to surprise rivals and earn 2 “.
THE RETREATS— After the rest day, the positivity of the Colombian of UAE Team Emirates Fernando Gaviria was announced, who was therefore forced to abandon the race. During the stage also the Argentine Maximiliano Richeze, Gaviria’s last man in the sprints, retired.
THE BIGS – The pink jersey Joao Almeida (Deceuninck Quick-Step) has a 17 “lead over Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb), 2’58” over Jai Hindley (Sunweb) and 2’59 “over Geoghegan Hart (Ineos). of the Italians Vincenzo Nibali (Trek Segafredo), seventh at 3’31 “.
