German rider Pascal Ackermann (UAE Emirates) won the 11th stage of the Giro in a sprint, narrowly beating Jonathan Milan and Mark Cavendish. Geraint Thomas remains in pink, even though he was caught in the crash that caused the retirement of third in the standings, Tao Geoghegan Hart, and the big loss of time for Pavel Sivakov.
Decidedly, the riders of the Giro have no right to the slightest respite this year. When it’s not the COVID (still eight non-runners this Wednesday!), it’s the weather that gets involved, and all the falls that can fight it out. As expected, this longest stage of the 2023 edition (219km) ended in a sprint, but there were several twists and turns before Pascal Ackermann’s victory.
The German rider from UAE Emirates (29) won the 39th victory of his career, the fifth on a Grand Tour. Neck and neck on the finish line with the cyclamen jersey Jonathan Milan and Mark Cavendish, he was declared the winner at the photo-finish and took his first victory of the season. It was time !
Bad day for Ineos Grenadiers
Long before that, the breakaway of the day had been formed a few kilometers after the start by Alexander Konychev (Corratec-Selle Italia), Diego Sevilla (EOLO-Kometa), Thomas Champion (Cofidis), Laurenz Rex (Intermarché -Circus-Wanty) , Filippo Magli (Green Project-Bardiani-CSF-Faizane) and Veljko Stoijnic (Corratec-Selle Italia), who were up to four minutes ahead. Sevilla then Stoijnic took the lead in the two third category climbs on the programme.
Then, when the rain had just made its appearance, a fall occurred 68 kilometers from the end with the first three in the classification in particular! Geraint Thomas and Primoz Roglic were able to get back on their bikes quickly, apparently without any damage, but Tao Geoghegan Hart, third, finished his Giro in the ambulance. Pavel Sivakov, eighth and first Frenchman, lost five minutes because of this fall.
A. Paret-Peintre new best Frenchman
The third climb on the program of the day, classified in the fourth category, saw Konychev and Sevilla let go, while Stoijnic took the lead. The Serb remained at the forefront with Rex until 19 kilometers from the finish, before the Belgian set off alone. But Rex failed to pull off the feat against the sprint teams and was caught six kilometers from the line, to make way for the final sprint.l.
After this stage, Geraint Thomas still has a two-second lead over Primoz Roglic and 22 over the new third, Joao Almeida. Aurélien Paret-Peintre is the first Frenchman, he is tenth at 2’48. Thursday, the riders stay in Piedmont for a 179 kilometer stage, including a second category pass 28 kilometers from the finish.
WORLD TOUR / GIRO
Classification of the 11th stage (Camaiore – Tortona, 219km) – Wednesday May 17, 2023
1- Pascal Ackermann (ALL/UEA Emirates) en 5h09’02
2- Jonathan Milan (ITA/Bahrain Victorious) mt
3- Mark Cavendish (GBR/Astana Qazakstan) mt
4- Mads Pedersen (AND/Trek-Segafredo) mt
5- Stefano Oldani (ITA/Alpecin-Deceuninck) mt
6- Alberto Bettiol (ITA/EF Education EasyPost) mt
7- Marius Mayrhofer (ALL/DSM) mt
8- Davide Ballerini (ITA/Soudal-Quick Step) mt
9- Simone Consonni (ITA/Cofidis) mt
10- Arne Marit (BEL/Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) mt
…
37- Nicolas Prodhomme (FRA/AG2R-Citroën) mt
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General classification (after 11 out of 21 stages)
1- Geraint Thomas (GBR/Ineos Grenadiers) en 44h35’35
2- Primoz Roglic (SLO/Jumbo-Visma) at 2″
3- Joao Almeida (POR/UAE Emirates) at 22″
4- Andreas Leknessund (NOR/DSM) à 35″
5- Damiano Caruso (ITA/Bahrain Victorious) at 1’28
6- Lennard Kämna (GER / Bora-Hansgrohe) at 1’52
7- Eddie Dunbar (IRL/Jayco AlUla) at 2’32
8- Thymen Arensman (PBS/Ineos Grenadiers) à 2’32
9- Laurens De Plus (BEL / Ineos Grenadiers) at 2’36
10- Aurélien Paret-Peintre (FRA / AG2R-Citroën) at 2’48
…
