Giro d’Italia: Evenepoel back in the rainbow jersey

Rain and cold temperatures, chaos and confusions, and a change at the top of the general classification in Lago Laceno – in short, an eventful day spent by the Corsa Rosa in southern Italy. At the end of it, Remco Evenepoel traded the maglia rosa for the rainbow jersey, which he will sport for the first time since his monumental Liège–Bastogne–Liège win during Wednesday’s hilly stage 5 to Salerno.
The first 80 kilometers of racing had everything, except a breakaway. Attacks came thick and fast from the beginning, but the peloton reacted to all of these moves before splitting at one point, which brought a bit of panic – only for a short moment though, as a regrouping took place. Our squad kept a close eye on things and after the first classified climb of the stage, emerged at the front of the peloton to set the tempo behind an eight-man breakaway.
The first rider to put his name on the winners’ list at this edition, Remco was protected by his teammates, who did a spectacular job behind the escapees, all the way until mid-way up Colle Molella (9.6km, 6.2%). In part thanks to this strong effort, things remained calm on that ascent, while at the front the remaining breakaway riders had their battle for the win, which went to Aurelien Paret-Peintre (AG2R Citroen). The main bunch arrived around two minutes behind new GC leader Andreas Leknessund (Team DSM), and Evenepoel was there, safely tucked in the group that numbered only 20-odd riders.
“I’m not sad about not having the pink jersey anymore. On Wednesday I will wear the rainbow jersey, which is more than fine with me. I’m only 20-30 seconds behind in the standings, so things are good. Today was a hard stage, very hectic and with a high average speed especially in the first part, but the team did a solid job, while I had a good feeling the entire time, and I’m satisfied with that”, said Remco, who sits second in the overall ranking.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
Race details
1 |
Aurélien Paret-Peintre AG2R Citroën Team |
4:16:04 |
2 |
Andreas Leknessund Team DSM |
0:02 |
3 |
Toms Skujiņš Trek - Segafredo |
0:57 |
4 |
Vincenzo Albanese EOLO-Kometa |
0:57 |
5 |
Nicola Conci Alpecin-Deceuninck |
1:02 |
6 |
Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier Egerzeigzaarhka Trek - Segafredo |
1:07 |
7 |
Koen Bouwman Jumbo-Visma |
2:01 |
8 |
Damiano Caruso Bahrain - Victorious |
2:01 |
9 |
Eddie Dunbar Team Jayco AlUla |
2:01 |
10 |
Aleksandr Vlasov BORA - hansgrohe |
2:01 |
19 |
Remco Evenepoel
Soudal - Quick Step |
2:01 |
38 |
Louis Vervaeke
Soudal - Quick Step |
3:58 |
51 |
Ilan Van Wilder
Soudal - Quick Step |
6:46 |
85 |
Jan Hirt
Soudal - Quick Step |
12:38 |
87 |
Mattia Cattaneo
Soudal - Quick Step |
12:38 |
119 |
Pieter Serry
Soudal - Quick Step |
16:56 |
122 |
Josef Černý
Soudal - Quick Step |
22:40 |
175 |
Davide Ballerini
Soudal - Quick Step |
26:17 |
1 |
Andreas Leknessund Team DSM |
14:35:44 |
2 |
Remco Evenepoel
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:28 |
3 |
Aurélien Paret-Peintre AG2R Citroën Team |
0:30 |
4 |
João Almeida UAE Team Emirates |
1:00 |
5 |
Primož Roglič Jumbo-Visma |
1:12 |
6 |
Geraint Thomas INEOS Grenadiers |
1:26 |
7 |
Aleksandr Vlasov BORA - hansgrohe |
1:26 |
8 |
Toms Skujiņš Trek - Segafredo |
1:29 |
9 |
Tao Geoghegan Hart INEOS Grenadiers |
1:30 |
10 |
Jay Vine UAE Team Emirates |
1:36 |
36 |
Louis Vervaeke
Soudal - Quick Step |
5:37 |
41 |
Ilan Van Wilder
Soudal - Quick Step |
6:47 |
58 |
Mattia Cattaneo
Soudal - Quick Step |
12:31 |
76 |
Jan Hirt
Soudal - Quick Step |
16:41 |
113 |
Pieter Serry
Soudal - Quick Step |
29:13 |
141 |
Josef Černý
Soudal - Quick Step |
40:15 |
163 |
Davide Ballerini
Soudal - Quick Step |
43:27 |
1 |
Jonathan Milan Bahrain - Victorious |
53 pt |
2 |
Kaden Groves Alpecin-Deceuninck |
39 pt |
3 |
Michael Matthews Team Jayco AlUla |
38 pt |
4 |
David Dekker Team Arkéa Samsic |
35 pt |
5 |
Aurélien Paret-Peintre AG2R Citroën Team |
33 pt |
6 |
Vincenzo Albanese EOLO-Kometa |
28 pt |
7 |
Mads Pedersen Trek - Segafredo |
26 pt |
8 |
Arne Marit Intermarché - Circus - Wanty |
23 pt |
9 |
Andreas Leknessund Team DSM |
22 pt |
10 |
Toms Skujiņš Trek - Segafredo |
16 pt |
11 |
Remco Evenepoel
Soudal - Quick Step |
15 pt |
1 |
Thibaut Pinot Groupama - FDJ |
30 pt |
2 |
Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier Egerzeigzaarhka Trek - Segafredo |
26 pt |
3 |
Aurélien Paret-Peintre AG2R Citroën Team |
22 pt |
4 |
Santiago Buitrago Sánchez Bahrain - Victorious |
12 pt |
5 |
Andreas Leknessund Team DSM |
10 pt |
6 |
Toms Skujiņš Trek - Segafredo |
10 pt |
7 |
Vincenzo Albanese EOLO-Kometa |
8 pt |
8 |
Warren Barguil Team Arkéa Samsic |
8 pt |
9 |
Sepp Kuss Jumbo-Visma |
4 pt |
10 |
Thomas Champion Cofidis |
4 pt |
1 |
Andreas Leknessund Team DSM |
14:35:44 |
2 |
Remco Evenepoel
Soudal - Quick Step |
0:28 |
3 |
João Almeida UAE Team Emirates |
1:00 |
4 |
Thymen Arensman INEOS Grenadiers |
2:33 |
5 |
Santiago Buitrago Sánchez Bahrain - Victorious |
2:52 |
6 |
Einer Augusto Rubio Reyes Movistar Team |
3:35 |
7 |
Matthew Riccitello Israel - Premier Tech |
3:47 |
8 |
Laurens Huys Intermarché - Circus - Wanty |
4:59 |
9 |
Jefferson Alexander Cepeda Ortiz EF Education-EasyPost |
5:16 |
10 |
Ilan Van Wilder
Soudal - Quick Step |
6:47 |
1 | INEOS Grenadiers | 43:51:01 |
2 | Jumbo-Visma | 1:49 |
3 | Bahrain - Victorious | 2:15 |
4 | BORA - hansgrohe | 3:22 |
5 | UAE Team Emirates | 3:23 |
6 | Trek - Segafredo | 4:15 |
7 | EF Education-EasyPost | 4:55 |
8 | Soudal - Quick Step | 7:01 |
9 | Israel - Premier Tech | 11:38 |
10 | Groupama - FDJ | 12:00 |