Giro d’Italia: Stage 11

Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) took his second stage win in this years Giro d’Italia at Novi Ligure in the home of the super champion (campionissimi) Fausto Coppi – Valerio Conti retained the Maglia Rosa (leaders jersey).

Giro d’Italia: Stage 11

Photo: https://twitter.com/giroditalia

Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) took his second stage win in this years Giro d’Italia at Novi Ligure in the home of the super champions (campionissimi) Fausto Coppi and Costante Girardengo as he outsprinted Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) and Pascal Ackermann (Bora-Hansgrohe) who swapped positions in the lead of the points competition with the Frenchman now 11 points ahead of the German.

Valerio Conti (UAE Team Emirates) retained the Maglia Rosa (leaders jersey) for the sixth day running.

Caleb Ewan sprinted everyone off the wheel after great work by the Lotto Soudal train. Like yesterday, it was an entirely flat course through the Po Valley. The riders covered 221 kilometres between Carpi and Novi Ligure.

Three escapees were part of the breakaway today: Cima, Maestri and Frapporti. They were caught by the bunch with 25 kilometres left to the finish. The various lead-out trains rode next to each other leading the pack, preparing what would probably be the last chance in a bunch sprint in this Giro.

The final straight was slightly uphill and there was headwind. Ewan came off Ackermann’s wheel and the Lotto Soudal rider sprinted to his second stage victory.

Caleb Ewan: “Just like yesterday, today’s stage wasn’t too hard to ride. It takes a little bit out of the legs but compared to some of the other stages, it was still an easy day. We did not choose for a full lead-out because we knew there was going to be a headwind sprint. So we decided it would probably be better to come from behind. I like to do my sprints like that so it was ideal. My teammates got me into a good position and I really have to thank them for that.”

“But Roger Kluge and Jasper De Buyst were still important today because they had to make the final kilometres as easy as possible for me and that’s what made the difference today, I think. Because of the headwind, it maybe felt like a long sprint but it was really well-timed. To get your timing right was crucial today, more so because of the headwind than of the slightly uphill finish, so I really wanted to wait as long as possible. I don’t think it was really uphill at all, to be honest.”… continued after advert

The Australian returns home with two stage victories to prepare for the Tour de France during the upcoming weeks. Caleb Ewan: “I am happy that I came to the Giro, the succession of the long and sometimes challenging stages will have done me good, condition-wise. Of course, I am going home with a great feeling.”

“I came into the Giro and I really wanted to win one stage. To get two is more than I expected, so I am really satisfied with that and I am happy with how the team rode as well. I finished inside the top four on seven occasions. On day two, our lead-out was perfect, two days later I was beaten by a strong Carapaz in Frascati and on day eight, I could raise my arms in the air for the first time”.
“This Giro was also very important to optimize the collaboration with Jasper De Buyst and Roger Kluge and we certainly got the chance to do so. Besides, the rest of the team also cooperated very well.”

“I think it makes sense that the sprinters leave the Giro prematurely. From now on, there are virtually only tough stages left, so not very suited to us. I think that the organisation prefers to have to best sprinters at the start. Although they do not finish the Giro, it still guarantees some nice battles in the flat stages. I will take some days of rest now and then go on a training camp to prepare for the Tour.”

STAGE 12
The stage is hilly. After approx. 90 km, the route enters the city to take a first pass of the “muro” (or wall) of via Principi di Acaja, and to crest the first category-one GPM of the 2019 Giro. The race is new to this climb, which slopes at 9.4% for 8.9 km (with gradients exceeding 10% for over 6 km, and topping out at 14%). After a fast running descent, Pinerolo is 16 km away.

Final kilometres
2,500 m before the finish, the route takes a sharp left-hand turn and climbs up the narrow Via Principi d’Acaja (450 m with an average 14% gradient and peaks of 20%, on road pavers). Next is a steep and harsh descent leading into Pinerolo. The last 1,500 m are on level roads, with just a few bends and a short stretch on stone-slab paving. The finish line sits at the end of a 350 m long homestretch, on 8 m wide tarmac
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Stage
1. Caleb Ewan Lotto – Soudal 05:17:26
2. Arnaud Démare Groupama – FDJ
3. Pascal Ackermann Bora – Hansgrohe
4. Elia Viviani Deceuninck – Quick Step
5. Davide Cimolai Israel Cycling Academy
6. Simone Consonni UAE Team Emirates
7. Ryan Gibbons Team Dimension Data
8. Giacomo Nizzolo Team Dimension Data
9. Jakub Mareczko CCC Team
10. Sean Bennett EF Education First

32. Vincenzo Nibali Bahrain – Merida
33. Valerio Conti UAE Team Emirates
64. Simon Yates Mitchelton – Scott
68. Tao Geoghegan Hart Team Ineos
88. Edward Dunbar Team Ineos
90. Hugh Carthy EF Education First
136. Conor Dunne Israel Cycling Academy
150. Jack Bauer Mitchelton – Scott
156. James Knox Deceuninck – Quick Step
157. Scott Davies Team Dimension Data

Overall
1 Valerio Conti UAE Team Emirates
2 Primoz Roglic Team Jumbo – Visma
3 Nans Peters AG2R La Mondiale
4 José Joaquin Rojas Movistar Team
5 Fausto Masnada Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
6 Andrey Amador Movistar Team
7 Amaro Antunes CCC Team
8 Valentin Madouas Groupama – FDJ
9 Giovanni Carboni Bardiani – CSF
10 Pello Bilbao Astana Pro Team

11 Vincenzo Nibali Bahrain – Merida
12 Bauke Mollema Trek – Segafredo
16 Hugh Carthy EF Education First
24 Simon Yates Mitchelton – Scott
30 Mikel Landa Movistar Team
31 Tao Geoghegan Hart Team Ineos
49 Edward Dunbar Team Ineos