Ganna-Laengen: high cycling peaks

In the bunch a couple of giants is pedaling on Colnago bikes.

The two titans are from UAE Team Emirates, Filippo Ganna and Vegard Stake Laengen and the sum of their height is almost 4 meters.

The Italian neo-pro is 193 cm, the Norwegian athlete (photo Bettini, archive) is 195 cm, peak of height enviable for a basketball team. However, the Emirati team is really happy to be able to rely on the duo of giants, whose terrific cycling skills were shown also in the 2nd stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico, Camaiore-Pomarance of 229 km.

Ganna worked hard for the team, exploiting his power for leading the team mates and the captain Rui Costa to approach the three categorized hills of the course (Serrazzano, 127 km; Volterra, 170,9 km; Montecatini Val di Cecina, 205,7 km), which required determination.
Laengen was with the Portuguese team mate and with Mohoric in the main group, crossing the finish line in 38th position, at 9” to the stage winner Gerraint Thomas.

In the first chasing group of the British winner, there were Rui Costa (42nd) and Mohoric too (43rd, he was dropped just few meters before the arrival).

Van Avermaet is the new leader of the general classification.

“The final part of the stage was covered at a high pace, that’s why almost the complete pack of the sprinters was dropped, unfortunately Modolo too, who was dropped at less than 200 meters from the summit of the last categorized hill, despite he had fought fiercely – sports director Marzano explained – The team properly supported Rui Costa, who succeeded in reaching the arrival with all the top riders and with the team mates Mohoric and Laengen.

It was important for Rui to live an easy day, recovering the energies and the form after that he faced some flue problems in the days before the start of the Tirreno-Adriatico.

For what concerns Ganna and Laengen, they’re body are so impressive, their power is fundamental for the team in many moments of the race”.

The 3rd stage (Monterotondo Marittimo- Montalto di Castro, 240 km, will be suitable for the sprinters: a good opportunity for the Emirati team’s trio of fast riders Ferrari-Kump-Modolo to size their form agains the best jet-men of the bunch.

STAGE RESULTS
1- Thomas 5h51’44”
2- Dumoulin 9”
3- Sagan s.t.
4- Van Avermaet s.t.
5- Gavazzi s.t.
38- Laengen s.t.
42- Rui Costa s.t., 43- Mohoric 18”, 63- Marcato 2’36”, 134- Modolo 8’40”, 163- Ganna 12’42”, 169- Kump s.t., 172- Ferrari s.t.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1- Van Avermaet 6h15’14”
2- Dennis s.t.
3- Van Garderen s.t.
4- Caruso s.t.
5- Terpstra 16”
30- Laengen 1’08”
31- Rui Costa s.t.