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Derek Gee is taking full advantage of his first career Grand Tour, getting in a breakaway and finishing runner-up for the second time in three stages on Tuesday. Gee and his breakmates splashed along a rain-soaked course in the lead all day and then fought it out for the victory, with Magnus Cort prevailing and Gee runner-up once more. Cort has now won a stage of all three Grand Tours.
The Giro Post Evenepoel
With pink jersey Remco Evenepoel having left the Giro with COVID-19 soon after his second time trial victory, the race was unmoored on Monday’s first rest day.
Geraint Thomas took over the pink jersey, meaning that his Ineos team had to defend for two weeks, far sooner than it reckoned. Evenepoel’s Soudal-Quick Step squad had to pivot to seeking more stage wins. Would we see Jumbo-Visma and UAE-Emirates more prominently at the front of the peloton?
Race organizers were not only forced to tighten COVID-19 protocols, but they also had to make a change to Friday’s thirteenth stage, taking out the Cima Coppi Col du Grand Saint-Bernard in the middle of the course due to snowfall and avalanche risk. Instead, a different climb, Salita del Gran San Bernardo, and the tunnel would be taken.
The Course
It was a sodden affair over the 196 km from Scandiano to Viareggio. There was an absurdly long (33.7 km), mildly graded (2.5 percent) Cat. 2 climb in the middle of the route and a Cat. 4 after its descent. It seemed like a day suited for a sprint. The wet roads caused many crashes.
Rain, wind, low temperatures, and a hard first part.
A day for the breakaway at the #Giro? pic.twitter.com/vTRw76kV77
— Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) May 16, 2023
More Riders Withdraw
Two of Gee’s teammates had to leave the race before the stage, the oldest rider in the race, Domenico Pozzovivo, pulling out with COVID-19.
Unfortunately, Domenico Pozzovivo and Mads Würtz Schmidt won’t take the start of stage 10 today.
Domenico tested positive for Covid this morning. Mads has returned negative tests but hasn’t been feeling well since yesterday and isn’t in a position to start.
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🇮🇹 #Giro— Israel – Premier Tech (@IsraelPremTech) May 16, 2023
Seventh-place Alexandr Vlasov of Bora-Hansgrohe climbed off his bike due to illness.
⚠️ @ale_vlasov has just quit the Giro
.
⚠️ @ale_vlasov abbandona il Giro #Giro #GirodItalia— Giro d’Italia (@giroditalia)
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…
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