Fifth stage and second group sprint al Giro d’Italia 2021. The Australian won at the finish line in Cattolica Caleb Ewan of Lotto Soudal, which therefore managed to redeem the disappointment on Sunday in Novara, where the Belgian Tim Merlier surprisingly won in front of Giacomo Nizzolo e Elia Viviani, still second and third behind Ewan.
After the shock of Sestola, who redesigned the general classification leading Alessandro De Marchi in the pink jersey, as expected the 177 km in the entirely Emilia-Romagna territory of the fraction that brought the Caravan from Modena to Cattolica were transfer: the Venetian of the Israel Start-Up Nation maintained the symbol of command, increasing the advantage over the second in the standings that is no longer Joseph Dombrowski, winner in Sestola, but who fell in the final, but Louis Vervaeke, 42 seconds behind.
Big covered in the belly of the group, considering that even today the weather was not good, with the rain acting as an unwelcome companion in the final part of the stage, yet in the final the twists were not lacking with two illustrious falls.
First that of Pavel Sivakov. The Russian of the Ineos Grenadiers, one of the favorites of the eve for the ultimate success, was already 2’08 ”behind the pink jersey, and got up bruised after losing several minutes.
Shortly thereafter, Dombrowski and above all go ashore Mikel Landa: the Spaniard from Bahrain Victorious, one of the most brilliant in the first stages, suffered a bad blow to the shoulder while remaining on the asphalt for a long time. His Tour of Italy it’s already over.
Stage characterized by some attempts at escape. After a few kilometers it was Filippo Tagliani (Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec) and Umberto Marengo (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè), who also had an advantage of 4’10 ”over the group.
Tagliani was the first to pass the first flying finish line in Imbola ahead of Marengo and Gaviria, before the two were absorbed by the group.
The second escape attempt, which began just under 70 km from the finish, was animated by Simon Pellaud (Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec) and Davide Gabburo (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè), the latter being the first to pass the second flying finish line of Cesena.
The two, who had a maximum advantage of just over a minute, were then joined by Frenchman Alexis Gougeard (AG2R Citroën Team), but the sprint was inevitable.
Compact group at -10 and volatone after the dramatic falls: Nizzolo and Viviani start long and end up burned in order by Ewan, well launched by Consonni. Fourth Sagan, fifth Gaviria.
OMNISPORT | 12-05-2021 17:35
