Paul Magnier extended his margin in the points classification after his third podium in six stages.
Napoli - the city of Parthenope, Paolo Sorrentino, pizza margherita, the most decorated Southern Italian football club, and Vesuvius - welcomed the Giro d’Italia Thursday for what promised to be a sprinters’ showdown. The stage was flat and quiet until the last kilometers, when the fast men’s teams made their way to the front of the peloton to position their leaders ahead of the tricky final kilometer.
As if the uphill drag to the line, a tight corner and the cobbles weren’t enough, some drops of rain complicated matters just as the bunch arrived there, which led to a crash that disrupted the sprint. Only two riders escaped the incident, and one of these was Jasper Stuyven, who took second on the stage behind Davide Ballerini (XDS Astana) for his fourth career podium at the Corsa Rosa.
It became a hectic finale once we got to the city center of Napoli, as the rain drops made the cobbles very slippery.
“We did a good job to bring Paul to the front, so it’s a pity that the crash happened. I unclipped and by the time I recovered, it was difficult to close the gap to Ballerini. It was an unexpected opportunity, which I tried to grab, so it’s a bit of a disappointment how it ended. At the end of the day, it is as it is”, Jasper said after his second-place finish.
Despite being held up by that crash, Paul Magnier staged a fantastic comeback to take third in Napoli and increase his margin in the maglia ciclamino standings, where he has a 66-point advantage over the next rider – a lead that can make him dream of winning this prestigious jersey.
“I think I could have gotten a better result if not for that crash. The whole team worked hard and Jasper put me in a perfect position, but sadly, it was impossible to avoid that pile-up. I was still able to sprint and take third, but there’s some frustration after today’s outcome. On the other hand, I’m happy with the fact I cemented my place at the top of the points classification”, Paul explained after the sprinters’ last opportunity on the first week of the Giro.
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