General classification remains unchanged going into the penultimate weekend.
One of Italy’s largest industrial centers and a city known for its Renaissance architecture, Vicenza returned at the race after ten years. It was the Giro’s tenth visit there, the first of these having been recorded in 1932, the year that the Graf Zeppelin airship began a regular route between Germany and South America and Hergé published his Tintin in America volume. That stage started from Milano and concluded after 207 kilometers with the victory of “The Human Locomotive” Learco Guerra, who became the first leader of the Corsa Rosa after beating countrymen Costante Girardengo and Ettore Meini.
Now, the bunch got underway from Rovigo and took on a 180km course that culminated on the slopes of Monte Berico, just like in 2015. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) emerged victorious on the demanding slopes of the 800m hill, while James Knox concluded around 20 seconds behind as the best placed Soudal Quick-Step rider, maintaining his position in the general classification.
On Saturday, the race will start from Treviso and venture into Slovenia for another finish that should suit the sprinters, the final climb of the three small ones stacked in the last part of the race coming just eight kilometers from Nova Gorica, where a Giro d’Italia stage will conclude for the first time in history.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
