The third and final week of the Giro d’Italia 2024 begins. A Corsa Rosa that already seems marked as regards the fight for the general classification: Tadej Pogacar is too, too much stronger uphill compared to all opponents. And he will be able to demonstrate it again in today’s stage, from Livigno in Santa Cristina Val Gardena, again an arrival at altitude afterwards 206 kilometers and 4350 meters of altitude difference.
LIVE LIVE OF TODAY’S STAGE OF THE GIRO D’ITALIA FROM 11.10 AM
And obviously, in a stage like this, it is still the Slovenian who is the clear favourite. At the moment there don’t seem to be any opponents for the captain of UAE Team Emirates, who has already accumulated almost seven minutes of advantage Geraint Thomas, and if he only wanted to win, he would just have to sprint and not let go of the escape. The only one who seems to have a little more leg is instead Romain Bardet (team dsm-firmenich PostNL), capable of sprinting towards Livigno and distancing the opponents.
They appear one step below the others. Slightly better Thymen Arensman (Ineos-Grenadiers) but will have to work for Thomas, while the Welshman, Daniel Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe) e Ben O’Connor (Decathlon Ag2R La Difesa) don’t seem to have the right leg. As well as Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain-Victorious) which however will have additional reasons for redemption.
There could also be an opportunity for some long-range attackers. From Filippo Zana (Jayco AlUla) onwards the UAE could leave some space and create a ‘double stage’, one for the victory and one between the men in the rankings. Among these, Lorenzo Fortunato (Astana-Qazaqstan) is called to redemption, who lost the top 10 on the Mottolino, while we could see the ‘parsleys’ on the attack Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling) e Jan Hirt (Soudal-Quick Step).
GIRO D’ITALIA 2024, THE BAG OF TODAY’S STAGE
***** Tadej Pogacar
**** Thymen Arensman, Romain Bardet
*** Daniel Martinez, Ben O’Connor, Geraint Thomas, Antonio Tiberi, Einer Rubio
** Filippo Zana, Jan Hirt, Lorenzo Fortunato, Michael Storer, Simon Geshke, Luca Covili, Juan Pedro Lopez, Nairo Quintana
* Esteban Chaves, Valentin Paret-Peintre, Davide Piganzoli, Domenico Pozzovivo, Damiano Caruso, Attila Valter, Georg Steinhauser
