"I fought to the maximum" - Pelayo Sánchez misses out on second Giro stage win from breakaway on stage 19

Although he was unable to take a victory that went to Andrea Vendrame, Pelayo Sanchez impressed again on stage 19 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia. The Movistar Team rider was part of the breakaway throughout the day, and matched practically all the attacks that took place, including two from Julian Alaphilippe. However, the one Vendrame made on the descent of Sella Valcalda was definitive, although the Spaniard did not stop trying.

Together with Georg Steinhauser, who first tried to catch Vendrame, Sanchez followed and then overtook the German. Despite not getting the victory, Sanchez again impressed, eventually finishing second. "In the end, we're in the third week and everyone is pretty tight. When Vendrame went away we had him quite a long time at 10-15 seconds, and it seemed that the best thing was to stay together and chase to neutralize him, but he has shown great legs," Sanchez reflected post-stage. "He took that income on the descent, kept it and we could not cut it. Congratulations to him, great victory," he adds.

"I came to this Giro d'Italia with desire, also with some doubts about the preparation and my condition, but always with the idea of hunting stages. We knew that today there was another good opportunity and I fought to the maximum. Very happy and grateful to my teammates, for the support and for the excellent work, today also in the initial cuts," continued the Spaniard.

"I'm really happy. To be able to perform in all terrains, in classics days like when I won, in mountain stages like today or Tuesday -despite the breakdown-.... The balance of this Giro is of enormous satisfaction," concluded Pelayo Sánchez, who will leave the Corsa Rosa with an unforgettable stage victory on the sixth day of competition, when he beat Julian Alaphilippe and Luke Plapp in a reduced sprint on the much-anticipated gravel stage.