photo credits @ Tirreno-Adriatico
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) once again stamped his authority on this year’s Tirreno – Adriatico, after the Dutch rider stormed to victory in stage 4, jumping off of Filippo Ganna’s (Ineos Grenadiers) wheel during the waning moments to power clear of his rivals and seize the day’s honors in Martinsicuro.
Meanwhile, Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) rounded out the top three finishers, followed by Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who finished 10th to retain his overall lead.
Race Highlights
A sizable breakaway group containing Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin–Premier Tech), Jakub Otruba (Caja Rural–Seguros RGA), Rémy Rochas (Groupama–FDJ), Liam Slock (Lotto), Iván García Cortina (Movistar), Laurenz Rex (Soudal–QuickStep), Dries De Bondt (Jayco AlUla), Mattia Gaffuri (Picnic PostNL), Diego Pablo Sevilla (Polti VisitMalta), Timo Kielich(Visma | Lease a Bike), Larry Warbasse (Tudor) and Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) eventually rode clear of the peloton, with Sevilla collecting the KOM points on the climbs of the Ovindoli and Valico delle Capannelle, while the KOM point on the climb of the Castellalto went to Rémy Rochas.
Back in the peloton, UAE Team Emirates–XRG controlled the race throughout the day and were instrumental in bringing things back together at the foot of the decisive Tortoreto climb. There, Visma | Lease a Bike took command, with Matteo Jorgenson forcing the pace and shattering the peloton, while Del Toro tested his rivals on the way to the summit, with Van der Poel sitting fresh on the wheel.
Coming into the final kilometer, it was Van der Poel, Ben Healy, Ganna, Giulio Ciccone, Alessandro Pinarello, Primož Roglič, Pellizzari, Andrea Vendrame, Wout Van Aert, Jorgenson, Del Toro, Jan Christen, Tobias Johannessen and Clément Champoussin at the front, with Christen briefly animating things. But, his aggressions were quickly shut down Van Aert.
From there, Ganna launched an attack, but to no avail, as he was swiftly closed down by Vendrame. Next, came Van der Poel’s winning move, unleashing a furious sprint that proved insurmountable.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
