WorldTour
Pellizzari takes third at San Valentino on bittersweet day for team
The 21-year-old Italian claimed third place on Stage 16 of the Giro d’Italia, delivering a standout ride on a day that also saw teammate Primož Roglič abandon the race.
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It was a bittersweet day for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe at the Giro d’Italia, as Giulio Pellizzari delivered a brilliant third place on Stage 16 while team leader Primož Roglič was forced to abandon the race.
The 203km stage from Piazzola sul Brenta to the summit of San Valentino was one of the toughest so far, featuring five classified climbs and grim Alpine weather. Roglič, who had battled through multiple crashes during the first two weeks, went down again on the descent of the Carbonare climb. Though he started the stage with hopes of continuing, he was ultimately unable to finish.
It was then that Guilio stepped into the spotlight. The 21-year-old Italian, riding just his second Grand Tour, stayed patient in the peloton before making his move on the final climb.
As the climb steepened and the overall contenders traded attacks, Pellizzari moved to the front, setting tempo and later slipping clear in pursuit of the leaders. He couldn’t reach the Astana duo of Scaroni and Fortunato, but he was able to hold off a late surge from Richard Carapaz to secure third on the stage.
I knew the break had a lot of time, so I had only one chance - to attack far from the finish. In the end, they had 55 seconds over me. It wasn’t enough, but we tried. For now, it was good, and I feel good. Let’s see, there are some more hard stages to come, so we’ll try again for sure.
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