ETNA, Sicily (AP) – Geraint Thomas and Simon Yates were the big losers and Sicilian Vincenzo Nibali among those who gained valuable time on their home’s routes in the wild, rainy and windy third level of the Giro d’Italia on Monday.
Ecuadorian champion Jonathan Caicedo won the level that ended in Etna, after taking an early break, and Portuguese Joel Almeida took the pink shirt.
Thomas, the 2018 Tour de France champion and a big favorite before the race, crashed before the start of the stage, then lost the floor before the climb and was out of action.
As the rain grew stronger as cyclists climbed the arid black lava slopes of Etna, Yates, another favorite before the race, also fell.
Ineos director Matteo Tosatto said Thomas fell after pulling a bottle of water out of his front wheel.
“At first he was in pain, but as the level went up, he felt better,” Tosatto said. “However, towards the end in the last forty-five kilometers, the speed picked up and the climbs got steeper, he was in pain and had to finish the level at his own pace. Now let’s check it out and get a verdict from our medical equipment “.
Caicedo, who drives for the EF team, took more than 4 hours to complete the 150-kilometer (93-mile) adventure from Enna.
Giovanni Visconti crossed the place of the moment, 21 moments ago, and Harm Vanhoucke third, 30 moments ago.
“As of this morning, we had to go attack and take part in the getaway,” Caicedo said. “We did, we took a smart lead in the platoon and then on climbing Mount Etna I controlled to fall Visconti.
Almeida and Caicedo have precisely the same time overall, with Spanish driver Pello Bilbao third overall 37 seconds behind.
Almeida, who runs for the Deceuninck-Quick-Step team, finished in the entry-level time trial.
“I can’t describe that feeling,” said Almeida, who finished 11th in the stage, 1:03 Caicedo. “I tried to do the most productive thing on the climb and rivet with the general’s big favorites.
Nibali, who rose seventh in a small overall favorites organization, climbed to sixth, 55 seconds behind. Spanish lap.
Thomas crashed into the unbiased area before the official exit, his elbow was bloodied and his blouse ripped from his back and left side. He crashed into the main platoon shortly before the climb when Nibali’s Trek team set a methodical pace.
Ineos Grenadiers’ teammate Filippo Ganna, recently crowned world time trial champion and level 1 time trial winner, propelled Thomas to the main peloton dressed in the pink jersey, but Thomas can stay on his feet.
Thomas, who lost more than 12 minutes, also dissatisfied in his last appearance at the Giro three years ago, withdrew after injuring himself on a twist of fate involving a police motorcycle.
Entering Monday’s stage, Thomas in 3rd place, the most productive among the favorites in general.
Yates, who won the Tirreno-Adriatic warm-up race, fell about 10 kilometres ahead and finished more than 4 minutes behind.
The climb to Mount Etna lasted 18. 8 kilometers with an average slope of 6. 6%, but the last 3 kilometers were about 9%, with a segment at 13%.
There remains a level in Sicily on Tuesday, a level of 140 kilometers from Catania to Villafranca Tirrena with a third-class climb halfway before a flat end.
The race then heads to the mainland and moves north through last week’s classic climbs for punishment.
The Giro was originally scheduled to begin with 3 stages in Hungary and run from 9 to 31 May, but postponed and revised due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The race ends on 25 October with a time trial in Milan.
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