The GC contenders spent a relatively calm day between Bra and Rivoli this Thursday on the Giro. A big breakaway went at the start of the race and fought for victory after 185 kilometres. The peloton did not battle on the last climb of the day, especially because a big mountain stage awaits the riders on Friday towards Crans Montana through the Col du Grand Saint-Bernard – and its tunnel – and the Croix de Cœur. Thibaut Pinot will start the day as fifteenth overall.
On Thursday, the Giro made another step towards the Alps. The peloton was set to cross Piedmont from south to north to get to Rivoli, west of Turin. Hard but not enough for the climbers, this twelfth stage was another great opportunity for the early attackers. “Given that many breakaways made it since the start of this Giro, we knew it was going to go fast at the start”, commented Sébastien Joly. “On top of that, the hilly first part of the stage could do damage. Our decision was to stay with Thibaut. We only have six riders left, and we have to stay by his side for the general classification. We did well, because even if there was a big breakaway, only three riders fought for the win”. After a tough battle over the first forty kilometres, thirty riders made it to the leading group on Thursday. However, four eventually broke away from the rest halfway through the race, and only three crossed the top of Colle Braida to fight for victory thirty kilometres further.
“I struggled from kilometre 0 to the finish”, Jake Stewart
Nico Denz won the stage as the pink jersey peloton crossed the line eight minutes later. Thibaut Pinot still had Bruno Armirail alongside him in this group of about forty riders. “At first, we managed with Fabian and Kono because Jake was in a bit of trouble and had a hard day,” explained Sébastien Joly. “He fought well, he managed to finish inside the time cut and that was the most important thing. For the final, we could count on Rudy and Bruno, who supported Thibaut well. We could almost call this day a transition day. Another day at this pace is another day for Thibaut’s recovery”. In the general classification, the French climber lost one place (15th) following the rise of Patrick Konrad, who was in the day’s breakaway. He nevertheless remains 4’48 behind the pink jersey Geraint Thomas before heading to Swiss territory on Friday. “Tomorrow, we have a finish in Crans Montana and a great mountain stage,” concluded Sébastien. “Serious things are about to start”.
As for Jake Stewart, he reached the finish 25 minutes behind the winner and now hopes to get back on his feet after this painful day. “It was obviously a pretty difficult day for me to pass today”, he said. “I have been struggling since the last time trial. I had a fever that day, did not sleep so well and kind of picked up a stomach bug, to the point where you’re not able to put food in your mouth to get energy. Today, the lights just went out and I just struggled from kilometre 0 to the finish. I’m obviously glad to finish the day. Hopefully I can have some good food and nutrition this evening, fuel for tomorrow, and fingers crossed it will be a bit better. It feels like it’s kind of an improvement already this evening from previous days. My stomach is feeling a bit better, and I have been able to eat a bit more food today. Hopefully we’ve kind of passed the hump and we can move on from here. I’m just glad to get through today and live to fight another day on the Giro”.
