5th Stage – 47th Tour of the Alps – Levico Terme (Tn) 2.Pro

A very uncertain and balanced edition of the Tour of the Alps found its worthy conclusion on Friday 19 April in Levico Terme, Trentino. For the second time in the history of the race organized by GS Alto Garda, a Spaniard is on the top step of the podium.

A Basque, Mikel Landa, had broken the ice in 2016 in the then Giro del Trentino. Eight years later, an Andalusian, Juan Pedro Lopez, won the first stage race of his career at the Tour of the Alps. He who just two days ago in Schwaz had raised his arms to the sky for the first time in a professional race, winning that Melinda Green Jersey (not by chance the colors of “his” Betis Seville) who fought with all his might not to leave more.

Attacks on Lopez’s leadership were not lacking even in the last stage of the 47th edition of the Euro-regional event, in Trentino, 118.6 km with start and finish in Levico Terme, in Valsugana. The Valle dei Mocheni circuit with the double passage from Palù del Fersina, a first category GPM, encouraged the attacks of Bahrain Victorious, who with the veteran Wouter Poels and the Italian Antonio Tiberi tried to reverse the fate of the comparison.

For the young Italian, the long-awaited hurray has not arrived in 2024, but on the other hand the certainty that stage races are in his future, and in the already forthcoming one a Giro d’Italia where he will start as a beacon of Italian cycling. The 22-year-old from Lazio finished in third place in the general classification, 42″ behind Lopez, just behind Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-Ag2r), second at 38″. The Australian appeared in good condition in these five days on the roads of the Euregio without however finding the decisive edge.

Decathlon can console itself with the success of Aurélien Paret-Peintre in the grand final in Levico Terme, who in a tight sprint beat Tiberi and his younger brother Valentin, one step away from success in yesterday’s big stage in Borgo Valsugana. Closing out the top-5 of the day are the other Frenchman Bardet (Team DSM) and Poels (Bahrain).

In the post-race press conference, Lopez dedicated the success to his Team Manager Luca Guercilena. “I am happy and excited. I think of my family, my friends but above all Luca Guercilena who is not having a good time. This victory is for him.”

“We knew from the start that it would be tough, but today my team demonstrated all its value, displaying great compactness on the climbs. Compared to 2022 when I won the pink jersey, I am a stronger rider.”

“The Tour of the Alps is a race that I will remember forever, not just for these first times. I found fantastic territories and beautiful landscapes, it must also be nice to train here. This race has entered my heart, I hope to return next year to defend the title.”

Satisfaction also in the words of Tiberi. “I feel very good, the condition is there and I understand that I can have my say even in a sprint. Tonight I’m leaving for Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and after that there’s the Giro: I’ll get there with greater confidence and conviction.”