CYCLING – AFONSO Eulalio defended the Maglia Rosa after stage nine of the Giro d’Italia yesterday, taking fifth on the summit finish to Corno alle Scale after another solid day in the race lead.
The Bahrain Victorious rider also retained the Maglia Bianca at the end of the first week of racing.
The 184-kilometre leg was one of the main climbing tests of the opening part of the Giro, with a long, flat opening section before the race headed into the Apennines for the final climbs. The stage was raced aggressively from the start, with attacks from kilometre zero before a breakaway eventually went clear.
The race became more selective on the climbs towards Corno alle Scale, where the favourites for the general classification (GC) started to move in the final kilometres. Giulio Ciccone of Lidl-Trek tried to anticipate the GC riders with a late attack, but the main contenders closed the gap near the finish before Jonas Vingegaard of Team Visma-Lease a Bike made the decisive move inside the final kilometre.
Vingegaard won the stage, with Felix Gall of Decathlon CMA CGM Team second and Davide Piganzoli of Team Visma-Lease a Bike third. Eulalio crossed the line in fifth place, limiting his losses well on a climb expected to suit the pure climbers and keeping the Maglia Rosa ahead of the Giro’s second rest day today.
“First of all, it is perfect to arrive at the rest day in the pink jersey,” said Eulalio. “That was one of the team’s objectives and we all fought for this.
“About today, this top five is crazy. I was fighting with the favourite group, with the GC guys. The whole team helped me again. All the staff, all the riders – everyone did their job perfectly.
“In the final, Damiano was there supporting me, and that is crazy. In my first race as a professional, Damiano won that race, and now I have Damiano Caruso helping me. I am living a dream.”
Meanwhile, in Hungary, Bahrain Victorious wrapped up the Tour de Hongrie with Jakob Omrzel and Attila Valter eight and ninth, respectively, in the GC, as Nikias Arndt animated the final stage in the breakaway.
Valter was also awarded again as the best Hungarian rider.
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