🇮🇹 #Giro Unfortunately, Jakub Mareczko, who finished 5th on stage 3, had to abandon the @giroditalia today after battling against the terrain, the time limit, and a mild cold. Recover well and see you soon, Kuba! 📸 Mr. Pinko
As Mareczko abandons, Mathieu van der Poel confirms stage wins become main goal
CyclingWednesday, 11 May 2022 at 10:00
Alpecin-Fenix have had a very eventful day, as Stefano Oldani seeked a stage win in the slopes of Mount Etna. The Italian's plan didn't prove successful, however he's shown good form which will come useful for the team's new plans of chasing stage wins alongside Mathieu van der Poel. With Jakub Mareczko abandoning during today's stage - due to a late call to the race and lack of specific preparation - the sprints will no longer be a priority.
As for the Dutchman, he let off the pace as soon as the ascent to Mount Etna began and lost the pink jersey, as "it was difficult to keep pink, that's how realistic I am, and I decided to go at my own pace from the foot." After his win on the opening day, the Alpecin-Fenix rider has carried the race lead however today was too mountainous for van der Poel to keep the pink jersey in the view of most.
Read also
He attempted to join the breakaway early on, as he was aware the breakaway would have the day's success. However, he found difficulties: "I tried to jump in an escapee group, but they wouldn't let me," he said - having had been marked by Biniam Girmay upon attacking early in the day. The team didn't commit to any sort of chasing, as Stefano Oldani led the team's hopes until late in the day as he led the race for half of the final ascent.
“Stefano Oldani did well in the break after that. Now I have my focus on the coming days. The main goal is stage wins. My goal is not the purple points jersey, but if I'm in good shape in the final week then I can go for it," he added. Whether van der Poel will target the bunch sprints is to be seen today, however there will be some opportunities for him to battle for stages later on in the race.
claps 0visitors 224
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Most of these have nothing to do with rider safety or are completely unachievablevappaxbipmv23-12-2024
- Depends on how fast the Cipressa would be beforehand and in what condition Philipsen would bevappaxbipmv23-12-2024
- Some things sound crazy until they aren't, what if he's actually right? 🤷vappaxbipmv23-12-2024
- Why make a comment to state the obvious? Of course MvdP is much better at CX than Pogacar, does anyone doubt that But that wasn't his pointvappaxbipmv23-12-2024
- If you look at road alone obvi Pogacar is the better rider. But maybe MVDP is the better overall rider since he can win in three plus disciplines?mobk23-12-2024
- Correction on 2021 Olympics. It was mainly the Dutch ladies who didn’t know who was leading the race. Other teams like the Germans and Italians knew that Kiesenhofer was out front.mobk23-12-2024
- A champion turning into a sore loser. Or is he on coke again?
UltimateOpportunist23-12-2024 - If you look at the major races they’ve both been in, van der Poel had the early edge as lately Pogacar has had the advantage. It’s all on procyclingstats.RidesHills23-12-2024
- I wouldn’t assume Tadej can’t win at cross. He did a cross race, not a World Cup, a few years ago and crushed the field. It was a minor race. But he can win anywhere.mij23-12-2024
- I wonder what would happen if Pogacar attacked on the Cipressa instead of the Poggio in San Remo? Would MvdPoel still be able to follow?Ride197423-12-2024