Australian Caleb Ewan (Team Lotto Soudal) lived up to his nickname of pocket rocket winning the sprint on a cobbled straight that put an end to the third stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico disputed between Murlo and Terni, of 170 kilometers, in which the Italian Filippo Ganna (Ineos) and the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz was one step away from the Top 10.
According to first results, the Carchi Locomotive is now 11th (was 19th) after setting the same time as Ewan on the day (4:07:24, 44th). As for the other competing tricolors, Jonathan Caicedo dropped to 63rd place (before 59), while Jhonatan Narváez and Alexander Cepeda climbed to 118th place (before 129) and 147 (before 157), respectively.
Although the sprint arrival forecast was about to blow up due to the ambitions of favorites such as Pogacar and Alaphilippe, in the end there was a denouement for the sprinters to shine. Among all, Ewan stood out, unstoppable until reaching the third victory of the season.
Ewan set a time of 4 hours 7 minutes 24 seconds, at an average speed of 41.2 km/h, beating Frenchman Arnaud Demare (Groupama) and Dutchman Olav Kooij (Jumbo Visma), in a messy sprint in which the cyclist aussie He started on the cobblestones at the right time to leave his rivals without options.
The favorites, some, moved, but the positions of the general did not change. Filippo Ganna continues to adorn his back with the blue jersey that accredits the leader in the race of the two seas. They are followed by the real candidates, the Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Quick Step) and the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (UAE), at 11 and 14 seconds respectively.
The stage passed the time with the breakaway that Maestri (Eolo-Kometa), Bais, Edoardo Zardini (Drone Hopper-Androni), Rastelli (Bardiani) and Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarché) kept alive until the finish line 47. Then the first swords provoked an attempted rebellion with two arsonists like Alaphilippe and Pogacar.
30 minutes from the finish line, the UAE accelerated with Pogacar and Marc Soler taking advantage of the closeness of Amelia’s bonus intermediate sprint. Alaphilippe responded to the acceleration, who always joins the riots, and later Tao Geoghegan enlisted, but not Mikel Landa, who did not catch the train at the time.
The quartet opened a gap and set off the alarms in the platoon. The Jumbo Visma took the lead together with the Groupama in the chase, as they saw the desired sprint slipping away with the quartet 20 seconds ahead with 18 from the finish line.
All against four in descending profile to the finish line, with the result of hunting and regrouping 13 from the last banner. An attempt by restless champions, capable of taking advantage of any option to live fun experiences.
The new stage, that of the outcome, did not give rise to last-minute adventures. That was taken care of by the leader himself. Ganna took the lead to roll at his own pace, the one that leads the staff with the hook. And at the right time, in a safe place, she steps aside so that the fastest can go on stage.
On the cobbled straight the pack was unleashed, only the law of the fastest was valid. Well placed, Ewan started to fly like what it is, a rocket. Third victory of the season and the 55th in his history for a man from the club of triumphs in the three big ones: 5 in the Tour, 5 in the Giro and 1 in the Vuelta. Now to think about Milan-San Remo. The dream of him.
On Thursday, the fourth stage will be held between Cascata delle Marmore and Bellante, 202 kilometers long, a mountain day, with an explosive start in constant ascent with two chained elevations before crowning the Valico Torre Fuscello (9.5 km at 3.7%) . In the second half they expect four climbs, the last of which leads to the finish after a 4.2km climb at 5.7%. The favorites will face each other. (D)
Source: Eluniverso
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