05/19/26 12:07:00
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05/19 12:06 CDT Afonso Eullio defies expectations to keep Giro lead as Filippo
Ganna dominates time trial
Afonso Eullio defies expectations to keep Giro lead as Filippo Ganna dominates
time trial
MASSA, Italy (AP) --- Afonso Eullio surprisingly remained in the overall lead
of the Giro d'Italia after Tuesday's lengthy individual time trial, which was
won in dominant fashion by Filippo Ganna of Italy.
No one could come close to Ganna, a time trial specialist who completed the
flat, 42-kilometer (26-mile) route along the coast from Viareggio to Massa in
45 minutes, 53 seconds.
Thymen Arensman was second, 1:54 behind Ganna, with Rmi Cavagna another five
seconds back.
Pre-race favorite Jonas Vingegaard, who is also an expert time trialist, was
expected to move into the overall lead after the 10th stage, despite starting
the day 2:24 behind Eullio.
However, an impressive ride from the young Portuguese rider --- who is
relatively untested in time trials --- saw Eullio keep hold of the pink jersey
with a 27-second advantage over Vingegaard. Arensman moved into third overall,
1:57 behind Eullio.
"I suffer, suffer, suffer, but in the final I arrive here and I keep the maglia
rosa, it's incredible," said Eullio, who rides for Bahrain Victorious.
"Only in the final the car started to tell me ?you are close, you are close,
you are close to Jonas,' but when the car tell me you were close, first moment
I think OK it's close, but not to keep the maglia rosa, and in the final (they)
started to tell me like 30 seconds and I just continue believing and I went all
in, like I did (the rest of) the 40k."
It was the only time trial in this year's race. Ganna has won eight Giro stages
and all but one have come in time trials but he is also targeting Friday's 13th
stage, which ends in his hometown of Verbania.
"From today starts another Giro for Filippo, I want to try to arrive more
conservative for this massive goal for me," Ganna said. "We hope to enjoy
tonight a little bit and then we stay focused for the last 14 days."
Wednesday's 11th stage is a 195-kilometer (121-mile) route from Porcari to
Chiavari that features three categorized climbs.
The 109th men's Giro ends on May 31 in Rome.
The women's Giro runs from May 30-June 7 with Italian rider Elisa Longo
Borghini as the defending champion.
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AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling
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