FANO (Pesaro Urbino). The Giro d’Italia said goodbye to Abruzzo after four intense days. Last Saturday the Prati di Tivo with the victory in the pink jersey of Tadej Pogacar, the restart on Sunday from Avezzano with the city celebrating. Then a two-day break and the return on Wednesday to Francavilla with the success of Jonathan Milan and yesterday the start from Martinsicuro again with Tadej Pogacar in the pink jersey. A few kilometers in Abruzzo before saying goodbye to our region and entering the Marche.
Alaphilippe’s shot. A breakaway stage it had to be and a breakaway stage it was with the signature of a two-time world champion. Julian Alaphilippe triumphed in Fano after a 126km breakaway. The Frenchman went away with Mirco Maestri and managed to get to the finish line despite a group with many quality riders forming behind him. From Ganna to Narvaez, from Paret-Peintre to Hermans, from Lopez to Trentin taking turns to chase the two while behind them the pink jersey group let it go. Many climbs on the route, short but challenging, and the two in front end up with a lead of more than 2′. The big names move in the breakaway group with Narvaez, Trentin and Hermans who launch themselves in pursuit of Maestri and Alaphilippe but hold up well in front and arrive with a 45″ advantage on the last climb with 10 km to go. Alaphilippe gets up on the pedals and greets Maestri, behind him Narvaez and Hermans try but the Ineos and Alpecin riders perhaps moved too late and Julian Alaphilippe can enjoy his first success at the Giro d’Italia. Second place for Narvaez, third place for Quinten Hermans.
Abruzzo promoted. Abruzzo was promoted with flying colors with the Giro d’Italia. Two very important winners, a bit like what happened two months ago with the Tirreno-Adriatico. One is the same and is a season ticket holder for Abruzzo to the point that, jokingly, he was offered citizenship. Jonathan Milan won in the sprint in Francavilla and in Tirreno he had beaten everyone at the finish line in Giulianova. Last Saturday in the uphill finish it was the strongest of all who triumphed: Tadej Pogacar. At the Tirreno, in the stage with the ascent of San Giacomo, the dominator of the last two Tours de France had won: Jonas Vingegaard. In other words, in Abruzzo the great champions always win. And in recent years the signatures on the stages have been truly excellent: Bernal, Hindley (the two later won the Giro), Evenepoel, Milan and Pogacar. The Slovenian is the big favorite for the final success and, if the predictions were to be confirmed, this year too Abruzzo has said with its uphill finish who is the strongest of all. The 2023 exception? Evenepoel, who had won the Trabocchi time trial, was only stopped by Covid when he was in the pink jersey.
See you in 2025. And Abruzzo is already applying for 2025. The Fucino time trial was officially requested, as was a stage in Chieti. President Marsilio confirmed: «Abruzzo will still be there, not only in 2025 but also in the following years. Where will we stop? Nothing has been established, in June we will decide based on the route design but it is nice to see that there is so much competition and that so many requests are arriving.”
Enrico Giancarli
