"I would have preferred the photo with my arms in the air" - Giovanni Lonardi has no sympathy for Danny van Poppel after controversial Tour of Turkey stage finish

After a review by the race jury, Team Polti Kometa's Giovanni Lonardi has been awarded the victory on stage 3 of the 2024 Tour of Turkey.

Having initially crossed the line in second place, Lonardi was visibly frustrated by the sprint of his rival, Danny van Poppel. "Danny van Poppel locked me out, incorrectly in my opinion," Lonardi reflected post-stage. "That's how it happened, the jury decided. This decision is right because before being blocked, I felt that I was going to win. I had the legs to do it."

After finishes of 4th and 5th on the first two stages, the 27-year-old now finally has that stage win, although the matter of it, means there's still a feeling of something missing for Lonardi.

“I needed to win and I’m really happy to have done it, even if I would have preferred the photo with my arms in the air," he admits. "I'm in good shape before the Giro d'Italia. Winning there is always very difficult, but I hope to do well too. I'll take whatever happens."