The Slovenian wins over Martinez and Thomas thanks to an attack 4.5km from the finish. The lead over the Englishman in the standings is 45”
Journalist
May 5, 2024 (changed at 5.38pm) – MILAN
In front of the Black Madonna of the Oropa Sanctuary, which stands out at 1180 meters above sea level in the woods above Biella, there is only Tadej Pogacar. On the mountain where Marco Pantani achieved one of the greatest feats in 1999, with a comeback of 49 runners after a chain jump at the start of the climb, among thousands of fans with the flags and bandanas of the Romagna, the Slovenian phenomenon clearly wins his first stage at the Giro d’Italia and wears his first pink jersey.
the attack
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Pogacar attacks with 4.5km to go after great work by Majka, at the hardest point of the climb with 11% gradients. A terrible acceleration that puts his rivals on the ropes and makes everyone understand who is the master of the Giro. At 3 km he is 21″ ahead of Thomas, O’Connor and Uijtdebroeks, at 54″ the Ecuadorian Jhonatan Narvaez, winner of the inaugural stage in Turin. At the last kilometer he has 32 ”over Uijtdebroeks, Martinez, Vansevenant, Thomas, Lutsenko; at 1’33” the Narvaez squad. Even further away Tiberi. At the finish line, Pogacar wins with 27″ over Dani Martinez, third Geraint Thomas, fourth Lorenzo Fortunato, then Lipowitz, Uijtdebroeks and Storer; Lopez at 37”, O’Connor at 1′, Tiberi at 2’26”.
the ranking
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In the rankings, the phenomenon of UAE Emirates, who is the strongest runner in the world and the symbol of this generation, leads with 45″ on Thomas and Martinez, 54″ on Ujitdebroeks and Rubio, 1’05” on Lorenzo Fortunato. The Slovenian, 25 years old, who is making his debut in the pink race, thus reaches the first finish line of his pink journey in Oropa which will end on Sunday 26 May in Rome. Beppe Martinelli, Marco Pantani’s coach from Brescia, had said it: “I am a Pogacar fan: winning and being in the squad at Oropa would be the best message for the Giro, the best way to honor the Pirate”. Pogacar listened to his words.
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the fall
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Tadej gives the only thrill 12 km from the finish line, in the passage from Biella: he punctures the front wheel, while waiting for the flagship he continues pedaling, but falls in a right bend and by a hair’s breadth the UAE Emirates flagship it doesn’t run over him. Tomorrow, Monday 6 May, the 107th Giro presents the first of six stages for sprinters: Novara-Fossano, 166 km, two difficulty stars and only one fourth category Gpm. With 750 meters of altitude difference, it is the third easiest day of the pink race after the Cento and Rome stages.
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