Jonathan Narvaez of Ineos Grenadiers printed outside tour of italy Favorite tadej pogakar Venaria for winning Saturday’s stage one 140-kilometre ride from Reale to Turin, with the Ecuadorian taking the leader’s maglia rosa jersey.
Narváez not only had enough strength to chase down Pogacar as he accelerated towards the finish to catch the leaders, but he beat the Slovenian to the line, with Germany’s Max Schachmann finishing second ahead of Pogacar. are.
“It was really hard to chase the best guy in the world on the climb, so today is a special win,” Narvaez said. “I am still in pain. It was really difficult. Really, really hard. But finally, I made it.”
The stage was dominated by the early break, with six riders in the lead until the top of the second climb, when Emmanuel Ghebreigzabier and Liliane Calmegen separated on the descent.
On the final climb, UAE Team Emirates increased the pace, dropping riders along the way and closing in on the leading pair, ready to overtake Pogacar for the stage win.
With the peloton closing in, Calmejen decided to go solo only to find Ghebrigezabier swallowed up by the chasing pack and Calmejen took the lead at the top to secure the King of the Mountains jersey.
Schachtman led a group of seven from the peloton and raced into Calmegen with 10 km remaining to race, but Pogacar made his move to the line with 3 km to go and was followed by Narvaez.
The final sprint came down to the pair with Schachtman ahead and it was the Ineos Grenadiers rider who tried hardest to reach the line, foiling Pogačar’s plans, and Schachtman took second place in a photo finish.
“I think he went too long in the sprint, after 200 meters a very difficult stage and I did a short sprint and in the end I won,” Narvaez said.
partner of the podium winner geraint thomasJoe, who had finished second last year, did not lose much time, coming in 10th place, 10 seconds behind the winner.
Sunday’s stage two is another mountain ride, taking riders 161 km from San Francesco al Campo to Santuario de Oropa.
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