Ganna solos to stage win, Almeida retains lead
CAMIGLIATELLO SILANO, Italy Oct 7, (AP): World champion Filippo Ganna earned his second stage victory at this year’s Giro d’Italia on Wednesday, and Portuguese rider João Almeida added a few seconds to his overall lead.
Ganna – the time trial world champion and winner of the time trial in Stage 1 – sat up on his bicycle and punched the air before burying his face in his hands as he crossed the line at the end of the hilly 225-kilometer (139.8-mile) leg from Mileto to Camigliatello in Calabria in Stage 5.
Patrick Konrad beat Almeida in the sprint for second place as they led the peloton over the line, 34 seconds behind Ganna.
Ganna, an Italian who rides for Ineos Grenadiers, had been part of the eight-man breakaway and he attacked 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the finish on the first-category climb of the Valico Montescuro.
The route didn’t have a single meter of flat road. It had two third-category climbs before the Valico Montescuro.
Thursday’s sixth stage is a 188-kilometer (116.8-mile) leg from Castrovillari to Matera featuring one third-category climb.
The Giro was rescheduled from its usual May slot because of the coronavirus pandemic. The race ends on Oct 25 with an individual time trial in Milan.
Meanwhile, the International Cycling Union was asked Wednesday to open an investigation into a crash at the Giro d’Italia after it was said to be caused by a helicopter flying too low near the riders.
Vini Zabu teammates Luca Wackermann and Etienne van Empel crashed on the finishing straight of the fourth stage on Tuesday when wind, initially believed to be coming from the sea, blew a barrier across the road.
Vini Zabu said “the barriers flew across the road because of a helicopter flying too low near the riders.” The team said
Wackermann had a concussion, broken nose and other injuries. Van Empel reported only cuts to his hands.
The CPA, the international representative body for professional cyclists, asked the UCI to investigate.
“We have talked directly with Luca Wackermann and will be at his side to get justice after what happened yesterday at the Giro,” the CPA said in a statement. “CPA has request(ed) an investigation on what happened to the UCI. This kind of accidents are intolerable.”