Groupama-FDJ’s Arnaud Demare has won Stage 10 of the 2019 Giro d’Italia in Modena this afternoon after a short stage across the flat roads of the Po Valley that, as expected, came down to a bunch sprint. Valerio Conti of UAE Team Emirates retains the race leader’s maglia rosa.
The Frenchman outsprinted Elia Viviani of Deceuninck-Quick Step to take victory, while behind a big crash took out a number of riders including one of the favourites for the stage today, Pascal Ackermann of Bora-Hansgrohe.
As racing resumed following yesterday’s rest day, the 145-kilometre stage from Ravenna was raced mainly at a sedate pace, the speed only picking up inside the final 20 kilometres.
By that time, a two man break comprising Luca Covili of Bardiani-CSF and Nippo-Vini Fantini’s Sho Hatsuyama had long been caught ahead of what for once was not a highly technical finish to the stage, with the final bend coming 2 kilometres from the line.
CCC’s Fran Ventoso tried to spring a surprise from 3 kilometres out, but he was caught inside the closing kilometre, just as the crash that cost Ackermann the chance to contest the win happened.
Stage winner Arnaud Demare
“I knew it would be a fast sprint with the last 20km very nervous. To avoid any crash, I asked my team-mates to keep me in the first ten or fifteen positions. They have been excellent. Ramon [Sinkeldam] has been very strong and Jacopo [Guarnieri] exceptional. A sprint like this, at full speed with no need to brake, was perfect for me. I and my team would have liked to win a sprint earlier in the Giro. I was always placed but I wasn’t winning. It’s a relief today. My goal is to reach Verona. If I have the legs to overcome the mountains, I’ll be there till the end.”
Maglia Rosa Valerio Conti
“In some stages of this Giro we rode very hard but it wasn’t the case today. I don’t like this kind of racing because it makes the finale more dangerous as many riders are still fresh and too many believe they can win. I don’t want to take unnecessary risks. I repeat that I want to keep the Maglia Rosa as long as possible. My biggest fear is the attacks of Vincenzo Nibali. They’re unpredictable.”
That black Kia Picanto came to almost a complete stop before the lorry pulled out - I reckon they flashed their headlights to let them out, of...
I'm not sure that Boris' ride makes any difference. The former Lord Chief Justice, Jonathan Sumption, has already opined on the subject of...
But I don't want disk brakes.....
We'd probably need to know a little more about what you want and your budget to make solid recommendations. That said, based on what you've said, I...
So much wrong with the mask story. Why would the government want to introduce new rules when they can neither explain nor enforce the ones they...
I personaly think that as cyclists we should all be pressing for change in legislation, such as presumed liability. Agreed
Looks like the 2 opposing camps will have to agree to differ- some of us would rather pull off our own heads than go tubeless, in the same way as...
You'd think that they'd use a pic of the Merlin Malt where there isn't a leaf stuck between the chain and chainring!
This article appears to be a bit out of date ? Shimano’s chains have included a quick-link for quite a while now whereas the article suggests that,...
This was a mess at Cannop Ponds when the lockdown was still going on first time around. Tents, a huge 'engraving' in the tree and bbq food and...