First victory as a professional for Stefano Oldani, Alpecin-Fenix rider, who conquered the 12th stage, the Parma-Genoa, the longest of the Giro with its 204 km, beating the two breakaway companions Lorenzo Rota in the sprint , second, and the Dutch Gijs Leemreize, third. “I still don’t believe it – said the 24-year-old from Busto Garolfo – I couldn’t stop crying. I worked hard to get this victory. It’s magical. The sprint? It’s never easy, also because Rota is my friend. we said we arrive at the finish then let’s play it. I knew that the Dutchman would try to anticipate. It was not easy to go back downstairs, but in the end everything went perfectly “.
A stage marked by a double tribute: to Wouter Weylandt who died along the descent of the Passo del Bocco in 2011 (for the first time since then the Giro has covered the same route) and to the victims of the tragedy of Ponte Morandi, with the riders who crossed the new Ponte San Giorgio. A race marked by a long escape of 25 runners including Van Der Poel, Vendrame and Ballerini, which began immediately after the flying finish line in Borgo Val di Taro which saw the cyclamen jersey, Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ), reinforce his own ranking with a sprint that led him to earn 12 points up for grabs for the jersey and 10 for the flying finish line. At the time the fugitives were taken, more than 140 km were missing in Genoa. “The presence of Van Der Poel’s fugitives in the group was crucial – explained Oldani -, we knew that everyone would look at him and we would have more freedom”.
What made the difference was the climb of the Colletta 55 km from the finish where the group of fugitives broke up under the action of the three who will come to fight for the victory, the rest was done by the last roughness, the climb of Trensasco who further reduced the patrol of pursuers who lost seconds and never showed he could get back on top. So on the finish line in via XX Settembre, slightly uphill, Oldani achieved success. “Future? Doing still well here, I have shown that I can win: my dream is Milan Sanremo.” The group let it go and arrived with a delay of more than 9 minutes late and the Dutch Kelderman and the Australian Lucas Hamilton took advantage of it, two who can make the standings and who arrived at 57 “from the winner, recovering over 8 minutes in the pink jersey: work that brought the first in 13 / a position to 2’51 “and the second in 16 / a 3’45”. Ninth day in the pink jersey for Juan Pedro Lopez. “I live for the day , tomorrow will be a day for sprinters then we will probably have a more difficult stage. I can only say that day after day I feel tired but with this shirt on I have more fun. “
Source: Ansa
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