"I had to wait a very long time for that" - Nicolas Prodhomme saves Decathlon's Giro d'Italia with stage 19 victory
Cycling
Nicolas Prodhomme was the strongest from the breakaway, holding off GC contenders Isaac Del Toro and Richard Carapaz to take a sensational victory on Stage 19 of the Giro d’Italia. It marked the first WorldTour-level win for the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale rider, and a result that even he didn’t believe was on the cards early in the day.
"We didn't get a lot of space from the peloton today. And I didn't feel very good at the start of the race, my legs were bad," Prodhomme admitted after his win. The Frenchman had joined a chaotic early breakaway and was later part of a trio alongside Carlos Verona and Antonio Tiberi that tried to prise open a gap on the Red Bull kilometre. But it was on the penultimate climb, the Col de Joux, that Prodhomme made his decisive move.
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“That Prodhomme grew in the race became visible on the Col de Joux,” with the Frenchman accelerating clear of his breakaway companions just as the race began to split apart under GC pressure behind.
"On the last climb I took the gamble to attack. I often ride top-5 because I don't dare to take gambles. Today I did because I wanted to win," he said. And that gamble paid off. With the likes of Del Toro and Carapaz charging from behind, Prodhomme stayed calm and composed, pacing himself perfectly over the final kilometres into the finish.
“I don't ride for the general classification, but to win stages. And I had to wait a very long time for that. I took my first victory three weeks ago and now I win here at WorldTour level in the Giro d'Italia,” he reflected. “It’s a great day. This was a goal for the team to win a stage and now we’ve done it.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- POG1, another nice doc about our favourite, I watched most of it with a big smile on my face (except for the bits about his crashes 😢 obvs!).Lozza14-11-2026
- Martinez had a good year! 5th at the Tour was a great result for him, albeit largely through getting in successful breaks, but he held it better than Pidcock who’d done the same.Lozza14-11-2026
- guess what Valgren, you're 34, and no you're not good enough. sorry to say.mij14-11-2026
- I'm a sepp fan and like to think he earned that LOL, indulge me : ) I think Jonas was fine. Roglic did not want to concede to Sepp. and I don't think you ever attack your own teammate in the leaders jersey if he is holding his own, which Sepp just about was.mij14-11-2026
- enough time? he's 24 years old. He's won 10 races over the last 2 years and some are significant. I won't argue about his attitude being good - it needs to improve. But with some coaching and mentorship he has a lot of winning ahead of him and has plenty of time to win a GT. I don't think he will ever beat Tadej, but everyone else is fair game Look at Mas and Valverde - they were 31 and 29, respectively, when they won the Vuelta.mij14-11-2026
- Pogacar has a fine head on his shoulders.Careful investments and a couple of coffee shops sounds like a wonderful way to chill after an intense career.Stay healthy GOAT.
Brucegel14-11-2026 - I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
- I live in Ljubljana and often go on trips in the surrounding area, where I frequently see young cyclists in 'Pogi Team' jerseys training, either alone or in groups. By simply motivating so many young people to take up cycling, Tadej has already achieved something truly significant.Velijo14-11-2026
- That's an excellent point. It's interesting that Vader came to that realization only after he learned that his contract wasn't going to be renewed.
santiagobenites14-11-2026
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