Dumoulin wins opening stage of Giro d’Italia, Froome 21st

Associated PressMay 4, 2018, 2:50 PM EDT

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JERUSALEM (AP) With Chris Froome likely feeling the ill effects of a training crash, defending champion Tom Dumoulin won the opening stage of the 101st Giro d’Italia on Friday.

Froome, who bloodied his right knee and ripped his shorts and jersey in the crash shortly before the time trial started, finished 37 seconds behind Dumoulin in 21st place.

Dumoulin said he heard about Froome’s crash before the race and was aware of the tricky route that snaked through Jerusalem.

“The roads were OK. They were a little bit bumpy. … it was very technical and very demanding and very challenging course, but for me it was OK,” said the Dutchman, who rides for Team Sunweb. “You just have to be careful and take some good corners and be cautious when you have to be.”

Froome, a British cyclist who won both the Tour de France and Spanish Vuelta last year, is looking to become only the third person ever to win the three Grand Tour titles in a row.

Dumoulin was the last of the 175 riders to start the stage and finished the 9.7-kilometer (6-mile) time trial in 12 minutes, 2 seconds to claim the pink jersey. Australian rider Rohan Dennis was two seconds behind in second place.

Thousands of spectators lined Jerusalem’s streets to watch the first time a Grand Tour cycling race has ever been held outside Europe. The cyclists passed Israel’s parliament, Supreme Court, the Israel Museum and the Hebrew University on their route through the city.

The historic opening of the race concluded just as the previous one ended, with Dumoulin grabbing the overall lead in an individual time trial. Last year, he entered the final stage in Milan in fourth but surged to victory.

On Friday, he chased down Dennis, who is the team leader of BMC Racing, to win the opening stage. Victor Campenaerts of Lotto Soudal finished third with the same time as Dennis.

“This is all I wished, the win and quite a lot of time on the other GC riders,” Dumoulin said. “I knew I was ready for the Giro but I wasn’t sure I’d win today. The course was hard but absolutely perfect for me.”

Although the 27-year-old Dumoulin is likely to hold onto the lead during the early stages in Israel, he said it would be difficult to maintain his advantage for the entire race.

“We are not planning on defending it every day. The Giro is still very long. It’s nice to have it today but it’s hard to keep it for the whole three weeks,” the Dutchman said. “We are not planning on defending it whatever the cost. It is going to be a pretty hectic, difficult and hard weeks.”

Jerusalem’s opening leg was named in honor of Gino Bartali, a three-time former Giro champion who in 2013 was posthumously bestowed Israel’s highest honor given to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during World War II.

The second leg of the race stretches 167 kilometers (104 miles) down the Mediterranean coast from Haifa to Tel Aviv. Stage 3 will follow a 229-kilometer (143-mile) route from Beersheba in the Negev desert down to Israel’s southern tip of Eilat along the Red Sea.

The race will then transfer to Italy, and the island of Sicily, for an early rest day on Monday. The Giro will end in Rome on May 27.

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Thomas sees Giro d’Italia lead cut slightly by Roglič; Buitrago wins Stage 19

Associated PressMay 26, 2023, 7:13 PM EDT

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TRE CIME DI LAVAREDO, Italy — Geraint Thomas maintained his bid to become the oldest Giro d’Italia champion although his lead was cut slightly by Primož Roglič during the toughest stage of the race.

Roglič crossed the summit finish of the so-called “Queen Stage” three seconds ahead of Thomas at the end of the race’s final mountain road leg.

There were no flat sections and five tough, classified climbs on the 114-mile route from Longarone to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, which had gradients of up to 18%.

Stage 19 was won by Santiago Buitrago, who finished 51 seconds ahead of Derek Gee and 1 minute, 46 seconds ahead of Magnus Cort and Roglič, who just missed out on bonus seconds.

“I’m really happy with this victory. It was the most difficult moment of a difficult Giro for me personally,” said Buitrago, who rides for Bahrain Victorious. “I wanted to try and raise my arms before the end and coming here at Tre Cime di Lavaredo is amazing.

“This is the recompense for all the work that I’ve done. … There’s a lot of motivation for me and the whole team having seen the fruits of our labors.”

The 37-year-old Thomas, who rides for Ineos Grenadiers, is 26 seconds ahead of Roglič going into what will be a decisive penultimate stage

Third-placed João Almeida lost more time and was 59 seconds behind Thomas.

Roglič changed his bicycle shortly before the start of the penultimate climb and he made his move inside the final kilometer. However, Thomas was able to stick to his wheel and the British cyclist made his own attack in the final 500 meters and looked to have slightly distanced his rival.

But Roglič came back and gained what could be a vital few seconds.

The winner will likely be decided in the mountain time trial that ends in a demanding climb up Monte Lussari, with an elevation of over 3,000 feet and gradients of up to 22%.

“Tomorrow we go full again,” Roglič said. “It’s good. We got a bit of legs back, so tomorrow we go full, eh?

“If I wouldn’t be confident then I don’t start. The best one at the end wins.”

The race ends in a mostly ceremonial finish in Rome, where Thomas could beat the age record held by Fiorenzo Magni, who was 34 when he won in 1955.

Thomas celebrates 37th birthday by retaining Giro d’Italia lead; Roglic into 2nd

Associated PressMay 25, 2023, 12:28 PM EDT

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VAL DI ZOLDO, Italy — Geraint Thomas celebrated his 37th birthday with another strong ride in the mountains to retain the pink jersey during Stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia.

Thomas crossed immediately behind Primoz Roglic, who moved up from third place to second.

“The legs have been good,” Thomas said. “Need to enjoy these moments.”

Joao Almeida dropped from second to third overall after losing 21 seconds over the 100-mile route from Oderzo to Val di Zoldo, which included two first-category climbs followed by two second-category climbs in the finale – including an uphill finish.

Thomas – the 2018 Tour de France champion – leads Roglic by 29 seconds and Almeida by 39 seconds.

“It’s a pleasant day. I take time on Almeida and didn’t get dropped by Primoz,” Thomas said. “I felt pretty good, always under control but Primoz obviously went hard. It wasn’t easy. … I just want to be consistent until the end.”

Italian champion Filippo Zanna won the stage ahead of fellow breakaway rider Thibaut Pinot in a two-man sprint.

With only two more climbing stages remaining before the mostly ceremonial finish in Rome, Thomas is poised to become the oldest Giro winner in history – beating the record of Fiorenzo Magni, who was 34 when he won in 1955.

Chris Horner holds the record for oldest Grand Tour champion, set when he won the Spanish Vuelta in 2013 at 41.

However, Thomas will still be tested over the next two days.

Stage 19 is considered perhaps the race’s toughest, a 114-mile leg from Longarone to Tre Cime Di Lavaredo featuring five major climbs. Then there’s a mountain time trial.