With a day’s delay: Tadej Pogacar takes power at Giro after a number on Oropa

His fall just before the foot of the Oropa turned out to be a diversionary maneuver. Tadej Pogacar has left the opposition behind in the Giro as only he can. More than four kilometers from the finish, he took to the open water. The battleground for the classification men was impressive: Martinez already had to give up 27 seconds, Thomas completed the podium. Pogacar already leads the rankings with a lead of 45 seconds, Cian Uijtdebroeks is in 4th position.

• Winner of the day: No stage victory and pink jersey on his very first day in the Giro, but he did the day after. Tadej Pogacar is quickly completing his trilogy of stage victories in the 3 Grand Tours. After 2 days of racing, the Slovenian is already 45 seconds ahead in the rankings: who will hurt him?

• Losers of the day: Ben O’Connor, Antonio Tiberi, Damiano Caruso… Many of the classification men’s masks fell off on the first uphill finish. Luckily for them, they still have 3 weeks to rectify that.

• Remarkable: A small catch-up hunt as a nod to history. Exactly 25 years ago, Marco Pantani performed a legendary song in Oropa and Pogacar did the same after a flat tire on his foot. Although that lopsided situation was corrected fairly quickly.

• Tomorrow: It’s the fast men’s turn after 2 days without any chance of success for them. In Fossano, the first of 3 sprinters’ arrivals awaits the numerous sprint bombs in a row. Will Tim Merlier cash in immediately?

“We’ve broken the ice, now the game really starts.” Tadej Pogacar’s words proved prophetic.

His teammates from UAE Team Emirates proved that he meant business by not letting too big a flight sneak away.

Unlike yesterday, they then relatively spared themselves in order to better support their Slovenian leader in the deep final. This way Pogacar wouldn’t be on his own again.

Although things suddenly looked a lot less rosy at the foot of the climb to Oropa, where UAE planned to push the accelerator all the way.

Pogacar suffered a flat tire and even got to know the Italian asphalt. Symbolic: a legendary catch-up hunt exactly 25 years after Pantani towards Oropa?

It just wouldn’t go that fast. Before the climb even started, Pogacar was back where he should be.

And then came the expected blast from UAE as a cross for the top favorite, with a clear message for the competition: “Welcome to Oropa!” This time no one would be able to follow Pogacar.

Ben O’Connor tried for the longest to hang on to the unleashed Slovenian who went solo more than 4 km from the top. O’Connor would regret that, because he met the man with the hammer mercilessly.

Men in the rankings who quickly chose their own pace, such as Geraint Thomas, Cian Uijtdebroeks and Daniel Felipe Martinez, were able to limit the damage to half a minute.

Although the value ratios in this Giro seem clear after Pogacar’s number. On his 2nd attempt he now hits the double for stage victory and pink.

Not from Turin to Milan in the leader’s jersey, but from day 2? The gap of first pursuer Thomas is already no less than 45 seconds. Uijtdebroeks is 4th in that ranking and is the best youngster in the white jersey.

Geraint Thomas (3rd): “I didn’t know Tadej had fallen until they said on the radio that he was back in the peloton. The plan was to be safely at the front from the third to last climb. For the 2nd day I was doing well. Hopefully we continue to get better. But of course: Tadej is Tadej.”

Master servant Rafal Majka launched leader Pogacar: “He told me to go full throttle after the flat part. Then he wins and we are happy, right? Yesterday we missed a number of guys, but today we showed that we are the team. The whole team did it’s perfect and now we can relax a bit with the pink on the flat stages during the coming days.”

Phase by phase

O’Connor, one of the losers of the day, gets a few more seconds. Pink jersey Narvaez trickles in at 2 minutes and therefore loses his pink jersey.

Martinez comes in 2nd at 26 seconds for 6 bonuses, Thomas is 3rd for 4 bonuses. Uijtdebroeks is also in this group.

Pogacar outclasses the rest and strikes on day 2!

Not a sprint in which he was beaten like yesterday, but an attack that no one had an answer to. Tadej Pogacar hits the double on day 2 and has the Giro in his hands!

The piece of hair is out of Pogacar’s helmet again, in view of the fixed camera.

Pogacar is already in the less steep last kilometer. His lead is limited to half a minute due to Lipowitz’s work.

Uijtdebroeks is doing well in 2nd position behind Lipowitz. The young Belgian is on his way to a strong result on the first uphill finish.

2 kilometers before Pogacar, while the group behind him is now splitting up. O’Connor is one of the victims of Lipowitz’s acceleration in the employ of Martinez.

O’Connor and Thomas are captured again by the Uijtdebroeks group. Martinez finds his second wind there and gets Storer in a counter-jab 30 seconds from sole ruler Pogacar.

Other victims at Narvaez: Bardet, Caruso and Tiberi. They seem to be the losers of the day.

Narvaez at 40 seconds

The empire of the pink man is definitely over. Narvaez is already reported more than half a minute away.

Another man of his own pace. Cian Uijtdebroeks takes a sensible approach in the background. Pogacar does that too, because this is not about using his powers. O’Connor and Thomas follow within about ten seconds.

Thomas and Narvaez also tried to follow suit, but then had to show their colours. O’Connor is joined by Thomas, who has opted for a good pace of his own.

There he goes!

It was indeed the last turn for Majka: there goes Pogacar! O’Connor can join in for a while, but then has to pass. He is gone!

Pink jersey Narvaez is still in a particularly good position up front, together with Thomas and Sheffield, among others. Majka presses the accelerator (one last?) time.

Majka for Pogacar

Only Majka remains in support of Pogacar. A moment of rest on the cobblestones 5 km from the finish.

Bjerg’s works are done. Tratnik also drops out, just like Novak. Dani Martinez does not look good in the stretch of the elite group.