Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz (Ineos), pink jersey of the Giro, lamented the abandonment of his Australian teammate Richie Porte, but announced that the team will give everything on the decisive day this Saturday with a finish in La Marmolada, in a stage “of height that suits me very well”.
“The truth is that today has been a very difficult day. I am very disappointed in the withdrawal of Richie Porte, that is bad luck. But the team is doing a good job and we are dealing with everything as best we can. We are all at a good level and trying to turn it into something positive”, said the cyclist from Carchen at the Castelmonte finish line.
Carapaz explained the last km of the ascent, in which there were attacks of the men of the general, along with Hindley and Mikel Landa.
“In the end there was a bit of give and take, but I think we were all more or less on the same level at the top. It was not such a difficult ending as to open differences. Tomorrow is a good day, at altitude, which I like”, he highlighted.
Last fight in the high mountains, the Marmolada will decide
The last appointment with the high mountains in the Giro d’Italia arrived on the eve of the arrival in Verona. The eleventh dolomite stage, between Belluno and the top of La Marmolada (Passo Fedaia), of 167 km and 4.490 meters of difference in altitude, will logically designate the winner of this edition of the Giro.
The last high mountain “stage” will have the beautiful Dolomite mountains as its setting, which will adorn a day in which there will be little space and few reasons to hide. The fight for the pink jersey and the rest of the places on the podium must be unleashed in this scenario.
The Belluno stage, in Veneto, will start on the way to a small non-scoring elevation that will serve to warm up engines, from just 3 km to 7 percent. After an ascending profile of 44 km will lead to the first of the three difficulties of the day, the Passo San Pellegrino (1a, 9.6 km at 8 percent average gradient). An aperitif with the top almost 2. meters of altitude.
After a descent of 11 km will arrive 17 with a slight climb that will put the peloton at the foot of Passo Pordoi, a special category, with 05,9 km to 6.6, where Cima Coppi will be installed at 2.236 meters.
Another long descent, from 32 km punctuated by a steep slope, it ends at the foot of La Marmolada (Passo Fedaia), a first-class pass that accesses the finish line, located at the top after to climb 11, 6 km to 7.8 with sections of 12. Here the winner of the Giro will be decided 2022.
The start of the stage is scheduled for the 12.15 hours and expected arrival at 16.120.
Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz (Ineos) will defend the pink jersey against his closest rivals, Jai Hindley and Mikel Landa. He leads the Australian by 3 seconds and by 1. minutes to Spanish.
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