Sixth victory for Pogačar at the Giro D’Italia

Just 125 km are left for Tadej Pogačar before he can celebrate victory in the Giro d’Italia 2024.

The Slovenian cyclist sealed in the best possible way a stunning edition of the Corsa Rosa by winning stage 20 from Alpago to Bassano del Grappa (184 km with double passage on the Monte Grappa climb, 18,1 km at 8,1%) with 2’07” on a six rider group led by Valentin Paret-Peintre (Decathlon AG2R).

UAE Team Emirates’ captain built up his 6th stage success attacking at 36,1 km to the arrival (5,4 km to the top of the last Kom), after having exploited the perfect job by his team mates: he immediately distanced the other top GC contenders and he bridged the gap from Giulio Pellizzari (Vp Group-Bardiani), then he went solo to the top of the climb and finally into the downhill to the arrival.
Victory number 76 in the career of Pogačar, 37th of the season for UAE Team Emirates.

For what concerns the GC, the Slovenian rider now has an advantage of 9’56” on Daniel Martinez (Bora-hansgrohe), while he can already celebrate the win of the best climber classification.
Stage 21, Rome-Rome (125 km) will be a chance for the sprinters.

Pogačar: “Thanks to everybody, to the fans, to my mates and to everybody in the team. Thanks also to the Giro organization and to all the Italian and Slovenian people who supported me: without all these people, this could not have been possible.

Maybe what I did today was not necessary, but I wanted to do it for myself and for the team: it has been three long weeks, it is not easy to fulfill every day the Pink Jersey duties and so to finish like this in the last tough stage was a goal. Now I can go with confidence to my rest and to the preparation of my next race”.

Giro d’Italia – stage 20 results

1. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) 4h58’23”
2. Valentin Paret-Peintre (Decathlon AG2R) +2’07”
3.Daniel Martinez (Bora-hansgrohe) s.t.

Giro d’Italia – general classification after stage 20

1. Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) 76h22’13”
2. Daniel Martinez (Bora-hansgrohe) 9’56”
3. Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) 10’24”

In France, Marc Hirschi was 2nd in stage 2 of the Boucles de la Mayenne, 208,8 km from Le Ham-Villaines la Juhel, at 17” to the winner Alberto Bettiol (Ef Education-EasyPost).

The key moment of the race was the Cote des Egoulettes (2,3 km at 5,8 %) where, at 9 km to go, Bettiol went clear from the top riders group. Benoit Cosnefroy (Decathlon AG2R) tried to counter attack and later he was joined by Hirschi, but the duo could not bridge the gap from the Italian cyclist.

The Swiss athlete from UAE Team Emirates climbed up to position 6 of the GC, at 33” to the new leader Bettiol.
Tomorrow, last stage: Quelaines Saint Gault-Laval, 169,2 km of flat roads.

Boucles de la Mayenne – stage 2 results
1.  Bettiol (Ef Education-EasyPost) 5h03’57”
2. Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates) +17”
3. Benoit Cosnefroy (Decathlon AG2R) s.t.

Boucles de la Mayenne – general classification after stage 2
1. Alberto Bettiol (Ef Education-EasyPost) 8h59’07”
2. Benoit Cosnefroy (Decathlon AG2R) +23”
3. Axel Zingle (Cofidis) +28”
6. Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates) +33”