The headwind in the final straight of the 11th stage of the Giro caused some damage. Collective fall, downgrade, post-race tension… We had it all in the hour following Jonathan Milan’s (Lild-Trek) victory this Wednesday.
First runner implicated: Laurence Pithie (Groupama-FDJ), ultimately 4th in the stage. The Alsatian Hugo Hofstetter (Israel-PremierTech) did not mince his words at the microphone of Eurosport: “There are movements which must be reviewed and sanctioned. Already the other time, Laurence Pithie arrived at 80 km/h inside. The whole peloton saw it again today. When you see movements like that, you want to piss off. When the road narrows to 5 km, he’s the only one who doesn’t brake, he doesn’t give a damn about the others. When you go to talk to him, he says it’s not his fault… Sanctions are needed. »
There was a sanction, but not against the New Zealander. It was rather Tim Merlier who was targeted by the commissioners for his wave towards the right of the road in the last 200 meters. The Belgian from Soudal Quick-Step, initially second in the stage, was downgraded. Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) regains his place and the Italian Giovanni Lonardi (Polti Kometa) gets on the podium.
Jakobsen fell but without much damage
These three were in any case luckier than Fabio Jakobsen (dsm-firmenich PostNL), caught in a fall with his teammate Tobias Lund Andresen and the Belgian from Arkea-B & B Hotel, Jenthe Biermans, at around 700 meters from the line. The three riders still got up and were able to cross the line.
The Dutch sprinter, victim of a fall at the Tour of Poland which almost cost him his life in 2020, says he escaped here without too much damage.
