Jonathan Milan is gradually establishing himself as the best sprinter of this Tour of Italy. Already wearing the Cyclamen jersey at the dawn of this 11th stage, the 23-year-old Italian consolidated his lead in the points classification this Wednesday by winning at Francavilla al Mare. Second on the line, Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep) was finally downgraded after studying his sprint. Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck), therefore takes 2nd place in the stage ahead of Giovanni Lonardi (Polti-Kometa).
Milan escaped a fall 500 m from the line then waited for the right moment, behind Merlier, to unleash their last effort after a tense sprint into the wind. “It was a really complicated final,” analyzed the Italian Lidl-Trek sprinter following his success. Perhaps more difficult than the other sprints with these turns. I found myself in Merlier’s wheel, it was the perfect wheel. He threw very hard then I threw it too, it worked. »
Thomas takes 2 seconds bonus
After the hustle and bustle of the first ten days of the Giro, this eleventh stage stuck to the scenario we imagined. A trio escaped more than 200 km from the line, the Frenchman Thomas Champion (Cofidis) collaborating with the Italian Edoardo Affini and the Dutchman Tim Van Dijke from the Visma-Lease a bike team, decimated with already four withdrawals (Christophe Laporte, Olav Kooij, Robert Gesink, and Cian Uijtdebroeks this Wednesday). But the three men were recaptured 35 km from the line.
Tadej Pogacar took advantage of this transition stage to remain wisely in the peloton. The only drawback for the Pink Jersey: his teammate Felix Grossschartner fell 20 km from the finish with Kevin Vermaerke (dsm-firmenich PostNL). The Austrian and the American managed to get back into the peloton as the final approached.
Slight challenge in the general classification all the same: Geraint Thomas (Ineos-Grenadiers), 3rd, competed in the intermediate sprint and took second place for as many second bonuses. The Welshman is only 16 behind Daniel Felipe Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe), runner-up to Pogacar.
