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Thursday, May 16, 2024

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2023 Tour de France | 2023 Giro d'Italia

To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness. - Confucius

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Current racing:

• May 4 - 26: Giro d'Italia
• May 14 - 19: 4 Days of Dunkirk

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• April 21 - 28: Tour of Turkey
• April 23 - 28: Tour de Romandie
• April 26 - 28: Vuelta Asturias
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• April 15 - 19: Tour of the Alps
• April 17: La Flèche Wallone

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Giro d'Italia stage eleven reports

We posted the report from the race organizer and third-place Giovanni Lonardi's Team Polti Kometa with the results.

Here's the report from stage winner Jonathan Milan's Team Lidl-Trek:

Milan becomes the first sprinter to take two stages in this edition of La Corsa Rosa

With a stage win and two second-place finishes already to his name in this Giro, Jonathan Milan doubled up on his win tally by claiming Stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia. Serendipitously, the second stage victory coincides with the launch of the brand-new SRAM RED AXS groupset, which Lidl-Trek have been putting to good use throughout this Giro d’Italia.

Although Milan was the first to cross the line, the road to winning the stage started hours before, when Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier got to work at the head of the peloton, riding mile after mile to ensure the stage finished in a sprint.

Jonathan Milan wins stage 11. Sirotti photo

Jonny benefitted from the full support and confidence of the Lidl-Trek team, who believe the Italian sprinter is the fastest in the race. The Lidl-Trek train brought the Ciclamino giant to the front, and safely out of trouble, as the tension and speed rose into the final part of the stage.

At four kilometers to go, the peloton had to negotiate a tricky right hand bend with road furniture, but it went by without a problem whilst Jonny maintained a good position. As rival trains jostled for position across the road, Milan became detached from his leadout, but he remained calm, hitching himself onto the rear wheel of Tim Merlier. Jonny was able to kick out of the slipstream, come alongside Merlier, and smoothly pass him in time to get his hands in the air for his second win of this Giro.

By winning the stage, Milan extends his lead in the Points Competition to 73 points.

Jonathan Milan:
"You know, it’s not just this 20 seconds of the sprint that makes me happy, or the victory in the end. It’s all the work that my guys did for me today, supporting me, bringing me to the crucial position for the sprint, this is what makes me happy, it makes a real time like we are. I think today is just unbelievable what the guys did for me, like always they are believing in me and I have to say thanks from the bottom of my heart for this. I’m just so happy to see this, and their happy faces. After the finish line I looked for them one by one to thank them because they were exceptional.

“It’s always tricky in the final, how to predict it and how to move. In the end I found myself on Merlier’s wheel, I think it was the perfect wheel. He started his sprint really strong but then I made mine and it went good. It was a super-fast sprint, especially because I have the fastest bike, along with the fast, new tires and groupset. It’s really special, last year I was always close but making some mistakes. I think the most important thing to do is learning from these mistakes and going further. We made it with the Team and I’m proud of this.

"Race after race, I grew, I improved. I’ve learned to manage my efforts and to better withstand the efforts that the Giro imposes day after day. From last year to this year, then, there was a change of jersey that led me to have more riders to help me in the sprints. Strong, experienced riders, capable, like today, of putting me in the perfect conditions to win.

"Today’s victory is a step forward for the ciclamino jersey. I have a good lead at the moment, but I absolutely must not take anything for granted. There are complicated stages coming up, I know I have to be ready where there is a chance to pick up points. And of course, to look for another victory."

Here's the Giro report from fourth place Laurence Pithie's Team Groupama-FDJ:

After eleven days of racing in the Giro d’Italia, Laurence Pithie was finally able to properly sprint on Wednesday. In a chaotic bunch sprint in Francavilla al Mare, the New Zealand rider managed to find his way through and ultimately sprinted to fifth place, which became fourth after Tim Merlier was relegated. The 21-year-old Kiwi therefore took his first top-5 in a Grand Tour and brought the second one for the team in this 2024 Giro. Jonathan Milan claimed victory. On Thursday, a much hillier stage will take the riders to Fano.

Giro stage 11 gets going. RCS photo

With a long, 207 kilometres stage, the Giro d’Italia continued its journey north on Wednesday, while reaching the Adriatic coast in Francavilla al Mare. At mid-race, the peloton was also to get to the seaside, and a quite easy second part of the race was therefore looming. The sprinters were expected on this day, and they were also relieved to see only three riders take the lead right away: Tim Van Dijke, Edoardo Affini and Thomas Champion.

“We were hoping for a calm start, and when we saw three men go and that no one followed, we were satisfied,” said Frédéric Guesdon. “If someone would have decided to make it hard, it could have done damage, but the stage was long, and with the profile being really flat in the second part, there was no point in going fast in the first climbs”. The peloton also tried to keep the trio under three minutes. “They didn’t leave them much room because they knew that the three leaders were strong riders, and with the final tailwind, the pace could only be high behind,” explained Frédéric. “It went by quite fast because everyone was very focused on the challenging first part, then once we arrived at the seaside, we had to be careful when crossing towns.” With the tailwind, the riders quickly reached the final of the stage, and the fugitives were caught thirty-five kilometres from the finish.

Some moves happened in the last uphill parts of the course, but everything eventually set up for the bunch sprint and the entire Groupama-FDJ cycling team came back at the front. “Laurence is capable of handling things on his own on the final, but beforehand, we look at the dangerous places where he really needs to be positioned, and that’s where his teammates play a role,” explained Frédéric Guesdon. “In particular, we saw that we had to be positioned eight kilometres from the finish today. We therefore used the team as much as possible until the last four kilometres, then Laurence managed the final with Lewis and Cyril.” “The team did a really good job to keep me at the front in the last twenty kilometres, then I was able to find my way,” added Laurence. “One kilometre from the finish, I was a bit far back, but luckily with the headwind I was able to move forward.” The Kiwi snaked in and out, and managed to replace himself in the top ten positions before the sprint really opened.

“With the headwind in the final, it was also better not to be in front too early,” added Frédéric. “He managed it very well, despite some fighting for position. We know that there is a high level in sprinting here, and although Rome is not yet around the corner, the sprint stages are not very many anymore. Everyone is taking more and more risks and it’s getting more and more heated.”

Just slightly slowed down on the right of the road, Laurence Pithie eventually managed to find a gap along the barriers in the last hundred metres to make his effort and cross the line in fifth position. After Tim Merlier’s relegation, the New Zealander even got fourth place. “It was the first time I was able to sprint properly today, it’s positive signs and the legs are a lot better, which is good,” he said. “Hopefully we can keep this momentum and keep climbing the leaderboard. This result is motivating, and if we continue to fight like this, there will be more chances for us in the coming days.”

“It’s indeed a good day, because it’s true that he hadn’t yet had the opportunity to really show himself,” confirmed Frédéric. “Eventually, the form is there! Tomorrow, we can have our say, and Friday, it will normally be another sprint. So there are two more nice stages for us this week.”

Here's the Giro stage 11 report from Antonio Tiberi's Team Bahrain Victorious:

As the race passed its halfway point, Antonio Tiberi crossed the finish line of Wednesday’s stage in Francavilla al Mare as the best young rider and the best home rider at the 107th Giro d’Italia.

“This is such a beautiful moment for me, and above all, an honour,” said an emotional Tiberi as he waited to step onto a Grand Tour podium for the first time. “For an Italian to wear a jersey at the Giro is one of the most wonderful achievements for a cyclist. It’s a dream come true – and to be in the first row on the startline tomorrow in front of my home fans who have just been so amazing since day one supporting me. Wearing this jersey is a privilege that I promise I will do my utmost to honour until Rome”

Antonio Tiberi finishes stage eight ahead of Geraint Thomas. Sirotti photo

The 22 year old is fast becoming something of a superstar in his home country, and a fans’ favourite. The positivity is not only coming from the public, but also from within the cycling world: double world champion and 1990 Giro winner Gianni Bugno called him “the future of Italian cycling”, race leader Tadej Pogačar said yesterday that “Tiberi is the only rider who has shown some balls” [sic], and the Italian press has christened him “The New Vincenzo Nibali”. From Nibali’s point of view, they should be rather calling him, “The New Tiberi,” which ‘Lo Squalo’ says is praise in itself.

All this kudos could easily go to the head of a young man who only signed for Bahrain in June. He has already won the white jersey at the Tour of the Alps this year, where he also finished 3rd overall. But despite the universal acclamation, Tiberi is remaining humble:

“I’ve come from one of the lowest points of my life and now this is one of the best. It’s so amazing people are giving me another chance, and I hope my story is everyone makes mistakes but we learn from them. There will always be hard moments, but we can bounce back. I am thankful to the team for the chance, and to the Italian public too for getting behind me. I’m so happy to start to repay their faith in me”

Stage 11 started in Foiano di Val Fortore, and included just one categorised climb, the C3 Pletracatella, which came early in the 207km which crossed four regions of Italy: Campania, Puglia, Molise and Abruzzo where a bunch sprint decided the winner, Jonathan Milan (LTK). Bahrain’s sprinter Phil Bauhaus secured his 3rd top ten of the race, and the rest of the team came home unscathed, avoiding a big crash in the finishing straight and ready for the coming days.

Stages 12, 13 & 14 all contain very little climbing, before the ‘Queen Stage’ on Sunday, from when the pink, white and blue jersey winners will be decided. It’s a challenge the new leader of the young riders’ classification is relishing.

“Today was pretty straightforward, but a bit too fast for me to be honest! I’m looking forward to getting back in the mountains. Moving forward we have some beautiful stages coming up. Tomorrow already is a bit more challenging hard, and then we’ll be thinking about the time trial on Saturday when I’ll hope to do well. Then it’s the biggest stage of the race to Livigno which for sure is going to be energy-sapping, before the second rest day on Monday. There’s a long way to go in this Giro, and so far I’m feeling good!

And here's the report from Team Visma | Lease a Bike:

In stage 11 of the Giro d'Italia, Edoardo Affini and Tim van Dijke showed themselves in the breakaway of the day. The Team Visma | Lease a Bike duo were joined by Thomas Champion, but their effort stood no chance against the chasing peloton. For the Team Visma | Lease a Bike duo, it was a way to wash away the disappointment of Cian Uijtdebroeks' forfait. The win in the bunch sprint was for Jonathan Milan.

Cian Uijtdebroeks, who was fifth in the general classification after ten stages, was forced to quit the race before stage eleven. The 21-year-old white jersey wearer did not appear at the start in Foiano di Val Fortore. “Cian was not giving a fresh impression after the finish yesterday, but it got worse in the evening”, sports director Marc Reef said. “By then it was already clear that it was no longer possible to continue this race. His abandonment certainly hit the team hard. The Giro d'Italia was his biggest goal this season and after the first week he was perfectly placed in the GC. It's a pity, but now it's up to us to show resilience in the stages that follow. We still have four fit and motivated riders in the team. They will do everything they can to get a second stage win.”

Cian Uijtdebroeks heads to the start of stage nine. Sirotti photo

After Tuesday's mountain stage, the sprint stage with arrival in Francavilla Mare was on the programme. Edoardo Affini and Tim van Dijke formed the early breakaway together with Frenchman Champion. The trio rode in the lead for a long time, but they were caught well away from the finish line. In the bunch sprint, Milan proved to be the fastest. All Team Visma | Lease a Bike riders reached the finish line safely.

“There were three of us at the front, but I was hoping for more companions”, Affini reacted afterwards. “It soon became clear that we stood no chance against the peloton. We still tried to play it tactically, but the sprinters' teams worked very well together. After the setbacks of the past few days, this action was good to clear our minds for a while.”

“We barely got any space from the peloton, meaning they were a bit scared of us after all”, a positive Van Dijke said. “We were hoping for a bigger lead, but unfortunately that didn't work out. I feel good, you could see that today. I'll keep trying. As a team, we should definitely keep aiming for another stage win in this Giro.”

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