He is simply the best at everything: Tadej Pogacar even outclasses Filippo Ganna and wins the difficult time trial in the Giro, Cian Uijtdebroeks loses the white jersey

Pink jersey: Tadej Pogacar (Slo)

Purple jersey: Jonathan Milan (Ita)

Blue jersey: Tadej Pogacar (Slo)

White jersey: Luke Plapp (Aus)

How did the victory come about?

Everyone thought Filippo Ganna had won the game, but that was without Tadej Pogacar. On the last six kilometers Pogacar simply flew up and eventually reached the finish line after 40.6 km, 17 seconds faster than the stunned world hour record holder. What a cold shower for the Italian champion who waited in the hot seat for two hours only to be denied victory by the rosette wearer.

However contradictory it may sound, with Filippo Ganna (second), Magnus Sheffield (third), a reborn Thymen Arensman (fourth) and a disappointed Geraint Thomas (tenth), Ineos-Grenadiers put four riders in the first ten.

What did the favorites do?

Tadej Pogacar organized his time trial incredibly well. Even though he was 44 seconds behind Ganna at the first intermediate point after 18.6 km, the new Cannibaal knew very well what he was doing. And that was winning this chrono and dealing a hammer blow to the competition at the same time. Geraint Thomas, for example, only finished tenth and was given two full minutes extra. The old Welshman now has to lead Daniel Felipe Martinez by ten seconds in the standings. The Colombian’s deficit is now already 2’36”. The battle for second place can begin. Behind the untouchable Pogacar were Ben O’Connor (up seven places and now fourth), Luke Plapp (up ten places and now fifth), Alexey Lutsenko (sixth) and the Italians Antonio Tiberi (up thirteen places, seventh) and Filippo Zana ( ninth and up seven places) the winner of the day. The losers were Geraint Thomas, somewhere Cian Uijtdebroeks, Lorenzo Fortunato (now tenth), Einer Rubio (dropped to twelve), Jan Hirt (from eight to thirteen) and Juan Pedro Lopez (now fifth, dropped eight places).

What did the Belgians do?

Cian Uijtdebroeks lost his white jersey, but can take it back from Luke Plapp at the uphill finish on Friday afternoon. Our Belgian lap group ran a very good time for his time trial level, but was defeated by O’Connor, Lutsenko and Plapp in the standings and is now seventh at 3’50”. The good news is that Plapp is just eight seconds behind him and Ben O’Connor is just 17 seconds ahead of him in fourth place.

Jimmy Janssens (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was the first compatriot to compete. The only task was to enter safely. Already at 23 km from the finish, the Czech Josef Cerny passed him.

Anything else you should know?

* Organizer RCS does not have a time trial suit that is completely pink. That’s why Tadej Pogacar appeared again with an outfit by Castelli where the top was pink and the pants were ‘granata’. The color of FC Torino with which the Giro d’Italia wants to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the plane crash with FC Torino at the Superga.

* The transition zone in Ponte Valleceppi was completely unnecessary because no rider changed from time trial bike to climbing bike for the climb. This was because the associated time loss would be greater than without the substitution. An unnecessary zone.

* Josef Cerny (Soudal Quick-Step) was the first rider to end up in the hot seat for a while. After twenty minutes he had to make way for Daan Hoole (Lidl-Trek), who set the target time for classification rider Juanpe Lopez with 54’16”. Lorenzo Milesi had the hot seat for a while, but was then overruled by Mikkel Bjerg, but then came Filippo Ganna who was 1’39” faster.