A beautiful Italian victory arrives at the 2024 Giro d’Italia in the nineteenth stage: day of escapes, perfect fraction for Andrea Vendrame, a man who is often perfect in this type of action. The second stage success in the Corsa Rosa arrives for the Venetian of Decathlon AG2R La Difesa Team, three years after the first, when in 2021 he triumphed in Bagno di Romagna. No skirmishes in the Maglia Rosa group with Tadej Pogacar in total control.
First hour of the race with a favorable route (wide and completely flat road) which was tackled at incredible speed by the platoon. Sprints, counter-sprints, actions from all sides: a group of ten runners had managed to get away, but the group left no space and put up a great battle.
Finally, about 80 kilometers from the finish, the right attempt was formed with nineteen riders on the run: Mikkel Frølich Honoré, Michael Valgren and Georg Steinhauser (EF Education – EasyPost), Jan Tratnik and Tim Van Dijke (Team Visma | Lease a Bike), Dries De Pooter (Intermarché – Wanty), Alessandro De Marchi and Luke Plapp (Team Jayco AlUla), Jasper Stuyven and Juan Pedro Lopez (Lidl-Trek), Simone Velasco (Astana Qazaqstan Team), Manuele Tarozzi (VF Group – Bardiani CSF – Faizanè), Jhonatan Narváez (INEOS Grenadiers), Quinten Hermans (Alpecin – Deceuninck), Andrea Vendrame (Decathlon AG2R La Difesa Team), Pelayo Sánchez (Movistar Team), Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Quick-Step), Enzo Paleni (Groupama – FDJ) and Mattia Bais (Team Polti Kometa).
The group was looking forward to stop and left minute after minute to the attackers, with no one dangerous in terms of the general classification. An agreement that did not last long between the fugitives, who in fact fought hard at the end. Vendrame was very good at anticipating the times in view of the final climb, gaining about a minute on his direct rivals. In view of Cima Sappada, Sanchez and Steinhauser moved from behind, but the Italian managed to resist as best he could.
The action is spectacular of the runner born in 1994 who was able to enjoy the final catwalk acclaimed by the public in order to triumph with arms raised. Behind him Sanchez then Steinhauser, Narvaez and Plapp. At 16′ the Maglia Rosa group in which Geraint Thomas risked a lot due to a fall: the Welshman got distracted and ended up on the ground, but his rivals waited for him and therefore there were no problems getting back in.
