Giro, in the Prosecco hills Magnier mocks Milan again. Here comes the tappone Dolomitico
In vino veritas. In the Prosecco Hills stage (171 km from Fai della Paganella to Pieve di Soligo), Frenchman Paul Magnier sprinted three times, once again leaving our Jonathan Milan high and dry, who was also overtaken in the final bend by Edoardo Zambanini, the author of a fine finish that allowed him to carve out a creditable second place in this beautiful old town in the province of Treviso.
Everyone was bubbly and on a roll, except for Milan, who can't quite manage a bubbly toast in this Giro. "Yes, unfortunately I made a mistake in the last corner. I lost the moment and also lost Magnier's wheel. Too bad, despite the last ramp, I had managed to stay in front. That's how it goes this year..."
One who is in seventh heaven is Paul Magnier, a 22-year-old Frenchman with a sprint that strikes and a smile that conquers. Launched by Belgian Stuyven, the Soudal Quick-Step sprinter consolidated his lead in the cyclamen jersey. The curious thing about this stage, which was very rough and undulating and therefore more suited to breakaways, was that it ended with a sprint finish. The opposite of what happened in Milan where, due to an unexpected breakaway, the sprinters had to raise the white flag. Here, however, the day's braves were unsuccessful. And even the Ca del Poggio ramp, a wall with 13% gradients near the finish line, made no selection.
Nothing to do, all together passionately to the delight of a large crowd, well fuelled by prosecco, thronged among memorable vineyards and hillsides. A magnificent postcard in worldvision that compensates for our cycling defaillances. Crushed in the race by the foreigner, we retaliate with bubbles and our excellent landscapes. We are Italian and somehow we always manage.
Sorry for Milan, but this is not his Giro. Clumsy and unconvinced, he let himself be pushed to the outside by Zambanini's sprint and was unable to catch up. Sprinters in cycling are like bombers in football: when they are in crisis, they don't even score penalties. Then a spell unlocks everything and the wheel starts turning again.
