Pascal Ackermann of Bora-Hansgrohe claimed his second stage win at the Giro d’Italia in a rain-soaked day from Frascati where Italian Prime minister Giuseppe Conte flagged off the race to Terracina. The young German outsprinted Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) and Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ).
Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo-Visma) retained the Maglia Rosa that he claimed on the first stage. Times for the overall classification were taken on the first passage across the finishing line 10km before the end, due to the rainy racing conditions. Earlier this morning, Tom Dumoulin pulled out in the neutral zone.
STATISTICS
- Second Giro stage win for Pascal Ackermann. It’s his fourth consecutive top 5 and Germany’s 37th stage victory at the Corsa Rosa – the first one was by Herman Buse in 1932, also on May 15.
- Slovenia, like Kazakhstan, has now five Maglia Rosa. Each country has earned their tally with a single rider: Primoz Roglic and Alexandr Vinokourov.
FINAL RESULT
1 – Pascal Ackermann (Bora – Hansgrohe) – 140km in 3h15’44”, average speed 40.095km/h
2 – Fernando Gaviria Rendon (UAE Team Emirates) s.t.
3 – Arnaud Demare (Groupama – FDJ) s.t.
JERSEYS
- Maglia Rosa (pink), general classification leader, sponsored by Enel – Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo – Visma)
- Maglia Ciclamino (cyclamen), sprinter classification leader, sponsored by Segafredo – Pascal Ackermann (Bora – Hansgrohe)
- Maglia Azzurra (blue), King of the Mountains classification leader, sponsored by Banca Mediolanum – Giulio Ciccone (Trek – Segafredo)
- Maglia Bianca (white), young rider general classification leader, sponsored by Eurospin – Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana Pro Team)
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo – Visma)
2 – Simon Yates (Mitchelton – Scott) at 35?
3 – Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain – Merida) at 39?
PRESS CONFERENCE
The stage winner Pascal Ackermann said in the press conference: “Today was one of these days in which I wondered why am I a cyclist. We had to change clothes every 30 seconds or so. It was cold. My goal for my first Giro was always to get to Verona. I’m in a good shape and there are more sprints to come, plus the intermediate sprints if needed, but for sure I’ll try and win the cyclamen jersey.”
The Maglia Rosa Primoz Roglic said in the press conference: “It was the right decision to take the times 10km before the end. We always try to stay safe. We saw yesterday how much can be lost in a crash. Tom Dumoulin’s abandonment doesn’t change much for me. The only important thing for me is that our team stays focused and we do our job the best we can. Tomorrow, why not lose the Maglia Rosa? It looks like a good stage for the breakaway to succeed.”
TOMORROW’S STAGE
Stage 6 – Cassino-San Giovanni Rotondo 238km – total elevation 2,800m
The first 190km of this very long stage are on straight and broad fast roads, with a few tunnels along the way, but no major climbs. Then the route changes dramatically: to narrower, worn out roads. The Coppa Casarinelle climb, 30km before the finish, ascends in hairpins with 5-6% gradients to the Gargano, until 15km from the finish line.
Final kilometres
On undulating, twisting roads, the route runs uphill until 6km out from the finish, then downhill for 3km. It’s uphill again, across the town before heading into the final descent, from -2km to the red flag. The 1,200m home straight is on 7.5m wide tarmac, with a 2-3% incline.
