The first – long – week of the Giro came to an end on Sunday in Roccaraso. The Groupama-FDJ cycling team could close this nine-day streak in a good way thanks to Kilian Frankiny, who got a nice fourth place after a long breakaway. The Swiss rider brought the second top 10 to the team – after Miles Scotson’s on the opening time trial -, which comes naturally after the three stage wins recorded by Arnaud Démare. Before the first rest day, the balance already is very positive for the French champion and his teammates.
“A great feeling to fight for victory in a Grand Tour”, Kilian Frankiny
This Sunday, a demanding mountain stage between San Salvo and Roccaraso concluded the first week of racing on the Giro. While Arnaud Démare and his train only aimed to complete the stage within the time limit and without problems, Kilian Frankiny had some freedom today. “Last night already, we told him he would have carte blanche,” confirmed Sébastien Joly. “So he could try his luck in the breakaway.” “I was very happy that the team would give this opportunity so soon, it was not expected,” said the Swiss climber. “I was certainly tired after the work done for Arnaud in the past week, but I was very motivated today and I wanted to use this carte blanche”. However, it was not easy to make the breakaway on Sunday, since it only formed after seventy kilometers and a big fight on the only flat portion of the day’s course. “Arnaud and Jacopo helped me a lot so that I try to get in front,” said Kilian. “Eventually, a group broke away just before the intermediate sprint and then the bunch let it go. I had my chance today and I didn’t want to let it go. I was in the 2nd or 3rd row of the peloton so I attacked. I closed the gap and it already was a big effort after 80 kilometers of intense racing”.
In the lead, the Groupama-FDJ’s rider first found himself with Larry Warbasse (AG2R-La Mondiale), Ruben Guerreiro (EF Pro Cycling), Eduardo Sepulveda (Movistar), Ben O’Connor (NTT), Jonathan Castroviejo (Ineos) and Giovanni Visconti (Vini Zabù-KTM), before Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) also joined the break. “Castroviejo was only six minutes behind the pink jersey on GC so he was a bit of a problem,” Kilian added. “Deceuninck-Quick Step never gave us more than six minutes. At first, I thought we couldn’t make it to the end. When our lead narrowed to four minutes, I even thought it was dead, but it then it stabilized and I believed we could make it with ten kilometers to go.” At this point, and after some rain showers and cold temperatures, the breakaway was only made of five men. Few minutes later, Castroviejo (“the strongest in the break” according to Kilian Frankiny) made the decisive move. “I was in front when he attacked, I had just finished my turn,” explained the Swiss. “I couldn’t follow. I then gave my maximum until the end, especially in the very steep finish, and I was able to drop Warbasse 10 meters before the line”. The young climber took fourth place on the day, which is his best career result in such an event. “I’m happy with my stage,” he assured. “It was the first time that I fought for victory in a Grand Tour, and it was a great feeling. When we started the last climb, I almost couldn’t believe I was playing for the win. I now know the condition is good. There are twelve stages left, some in the mountains, and I hope to have my chance again”.
“We don’t intend to stop there”, Sébastien Joly
“Kilian had a very good stage”, greeted Sébastien. “We even believed he could do it in the finale, but he came up against stronger. Anyway, this fourth place is a great reward for him and we are all very happy with this performance”. Despite the difficult weather conditions, the rest of the team managed this mountain stage pretty well. Only Ramon Sinkeldam really suffered on Sunday. “He got dropped quite quickly and had a pretty difficult day,” said Sébastien. “Fortunately tomorrow is a rest day. We hope he can get his health back and be ready on Tuesday and Wednesday, since those are two good stages for the sprint.” After the mandatory PCR tests tomorrow morning, around 9am, the team’s riders should go for a two-hour ride. “It will still be quite a calm and free day”, said Sébastien, the purpose being to recharge the batteries, mentally and physically. “For the moment, we are meeting the objectives, but we hope to be able to go even further in terms of stage victories,” he concluded. “We don’t intend to stop there. Of course, if we get victories, we will get points for the cyclamen jersey, but the number 1 objective remains the victories”.
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