The Dutchman prevails at the Potenza finish line, ahead of Mollema and Formolo, while Juanpe López retains the lead.
Five years after that stage at the Critrium du Dauphin, Koen Bouwman (Jumbo Visma) evidenced in Potenza the conditions that had earned him a certain celebrity in his country. At the age of 28, the Dutchman beat two rivals of the stature of Bauke Mollema (Trek Segafredo) and Davide Formolo (Team Emirates) after a 125 km break in which he had also slipped Tom Dumoulin, rank mate. The organizers were right to program this mid-mountain day, with a certain aroma of classic in full Giro, still dominated by Juanpe Lpez.
The time had come to leave behind so much tedium accumulated since Friday in Budapest. There were reasons to enjoy the Southern Apennines, in the region of Basilicata, with the finish line piping up. So there was no time to relieve the bladder during the first two hours, resolved at 39.5 km / h. The nobles and the outcasts were looking for their place in the race, facing the first effort with more than 4,500 meters of accumulated difference in altitude. And even López wanted to be seen in some containment effort before Lennard Kmnasecond overall and bearer of the blue shirt.
At the time the breakaway was formed, the leader knew himself with five and a half minutes in front of Bouwman, the best placed in the standings. The substantial advantage, added to the presence of Mollema, his theoretical leader, must have acted as an analgesic on Gregory Rast y Adriano Baffi, at the wheel of the Trek Segafredo cars. They could secure another with the pink and send to victory with a winner of the Giro de Lombarda, who before the neutralized, when they had asked him about his options, left a half smile that said it all.
Formol’s attempt
Mollema had companions from the shaft of Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious), Formolo and Dumoulin, in addition to Davide Villella (you trust) Diego Camargo (Education First). Ahead, the 24 km of Monte Sirino, first category, at an average gradient of 3.8%, with the cameras focused on the winner of the 2017 Giro, who doesn’t mind clothing when it comes to focusing on his new tasks . Once the 922 meter drop had been overcome and the chapel of Maria Santissima della Neve had been crowned, two more difficulties awaited.
Very demanding Monte Grande di Viggiano, with 6.6 km at 9.1%, in whose descent Villella lost the line. Less expected from La Sellata, top of third, but on its ramps, 28 km from the finish line, Formolo tested it for the first time against Dumoulin and Mollema. A few meters further on, although few paid attention to him at the time, Bouwman also dared to show his pedal stroke.
Behind there was no fight between the favorites and in that deficit of three or four minutes, the peloton was letting go. On the streets of Potenza, with someone as cunning as Mollema, Jumbo’s superior manpower seemed to matter little. However, Bouwman knew of Dumoulin’s weakness, which began to give way with 10 km to go. Nor did Mollema’s attempt work, even though he waited for his turn, crossing his eyes. This time the strongest Dutchman was named Bouwman.
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