The penultimate stage of the first week turned out to be one for the breakaway.
Marche is not just one of the most stunning regions of Italy, it’s also one of the most visited by the first Grand Tour of the season, who has spent at least a day there more than 60 times in the last century. Most recently, before Saturday, this happened one year ago, when Soudal Quick-Step celebrated a great solo victory of Julian Alaphilippe after 120 kilometers in the break.
This weekend, another breakaway prevailed, Luke Plapp (Jayco-AlUla) being the one who took the win in Castelraimondo after a lively first hour of racing which witnessed some strong attacks of Mattia Cattaneo and James Knox, just two of the riders who were determined to make it in the front group. A total of twenty riders jumped away in the end, enjoying a six-minute gap before some of them began to be distanced on Sassotetto, the longest climb of stage eight.
Behind, the peloton had a rather quiet day, despite the presence of some “muri” in the final 30 kilometers of the day, which means the gaps between the favourites for the general classification – where James Knox is the best placed Soudal Quick-Step rider – remain unchanged ahead of Sunday’s complicated stage on Tuscany’s gravel roads.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
