Five-star Pogacar wins again after rider protest sees stage shortened

It was another ‘Groundpog Day’ on the Giro d’Italia despite heavy snow and freezing rain causing chaos on the race at the start of its third and final week. A rider protest forced organisers to remove the Umbrail Pass from the route – but even Mother Nature could not hold the indefatigable pink jersey back.

The outcome, however, still stuck to the script. A late attack saw the Slovenian sensation almost reluctantly sail past lone leader Giulio Pellizzari (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizane) inside the final kilometre to secure the 12th victory in the 26th race day of a stellar season.

Pellizzari, the youngest rider on the Giro, held on to take second place, crossing the line 16 seconds down and just ahead of Dani Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe). Colombia’s Martinez moved back above Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) into second place on GC after last year’s runner-up faded in the heavy rain on the final climb.

The stage was animated by another long-range attack from Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step) which saw the Stage 12 winner reach the foot of the final climb in pole position and in with a shout for a second success.

But some hefty pacing from the Movistar team helped the peloton close the gap before Alaphilippe was reeled in by a chase trio that included that man Pellizzari, whose steely second place was rewarded by the race leader with a gift of his pink jersey and pink sunglasses.

“The day started on and off and we didn’t know what to do,” Pogacar said of the confusion that clouded the start of the stage. “But when we started racing it was fine. The breakaway went and it was a good one for us.”

Pogacar admitted that his UAE Team Emirates squad were able to take a back seat thanks to the tactics of the Spanish Movistar team. He also admitted that he half hoped Pellizzari would hold on for the win – despite referring to him as Antonio.

“We sat back and Movistar kept on pushing, which was great for us,” the 25-year-old said. “Movistar went really fast on the second last climb, then the final two kilometres we tried to control. Then Rafal [Majka] had enough and we tried to push on. There were some gaps and I was thinking that Antonio [sic] Pellizzari would win today’s stage. He was close and I’m super happy that he managed to come second.”

After a protracted debate between the riders’ union, the CPA, and RCS, the race organisers, a compromise was eventually met – removing the first three scheduled climbs of the Passo di Eira, Passo di Foscagno and Umbrail Pass in favour of a delayed start near Prato allo Stelvio, well over one thousand metres lower in altitude.

Once the race did finally get under way in the early afternoon, a combination of a slight downhill gradient and a desire from the riders to push on from the outset meant made the opening hour of Stage 16 the quickest of the race so far, with 55.5km covered despite the heavy rain.

After an early move from Marco Frigo (Israel-Premier Tech) was neutralised, a breakaway of four riders went clear with Alaphilippe reuniting with his Italian companion from Stage 12, Mirco Maestri of Team Polti Kometa. They were joined by two more Italians in Davide Ballerini (Astana Qazaqstan) and Andrea Piccolo (EF Education-EasyPost) and managed to carve out a lead of two minutes ahead of the Cat.2 ascent of the Passo Pinei.

Once the gradient ramped up Alaphilippe kicked clear while Italy’s Christian Scaroni (Astana-Qazaqstan) and Frenchman Erwen Costiou (Arkea B&B Hotels) attacked from the Movistar-led pack behind. Movistar sent Stage 5 winner Pelayo Sanchez up the road to act as a relay for Einer Rubio – but no little avail. And when the Spaniard attacked again – following Nairo Quintana’s implosion – Sanchez dropped a chain.

So ended Movistar’s cameo controlling the chase, with Pogacar’s Polish team-mate Rafal Majka coming back to take the reins ahead of the final climb of Monte Pana.

Alaphilippe was caught by Scaroni, Ballerini and Costiou at the start of the climb before fading in the final kilometres. By now, Pellizzari had made his move behind – and it was the 20-year-old debutant who swept past each of the escapees one by one on the steep hairpin section of the climb as he pushed for a maiden pro win.

But it was not to be. After Majka’s pacing whittled down the group of GC favourites, Pogacar not so much attacked as simply rode away up the road. He passed Pellizzari with around 800m to go and simply kept turning the pedals towards his next inevitable victory.

Martinez rallied behind to distance Thomas, O’Connor and his other rivals in what has become a battle for second place. But despite drawing level with the sprightly Pellizzari, the Colombian was unable to match the Italian in the final dash to the line.

With three more mountain stages remaining, it’s highly unlikely that Pogacar’s hoard will stop at five. His first chance for a sixth success comes on Wednesday with the tough 159km Stage 17 which – weather depending – features 4,100m of climbing in the Dolomites with the famous Selva and Rolle passes ahead of a double ascent of the Passo Brocon from two different sides.