If most people expected Roglic to dominate on the first summit finish, seeing him passive and glued to the wheels of others was the first true surprise of this Giro. And — with all due respect to Roglic — a welcome one, because it suggests this race will be much more open than anticipated.
The biggest disappointment of the stage, however, was Bernal. After everything he’s been through, many would have loved to see him take a big win. But maybe he wanted it too much — he chased it with too much urgency, and ended up making a big mistake.
When Ciccone — a genuine GC threat — launches an attack, the responsibility to chase falls naturally on the shoulders of the main contenders: Roglic, Ayuso, and Del Toro. But instead, Bernal took it upon himself to close the gap. In doing so, two potential outsiders effectively cancelled each other out, leaving the big names to play for the win. A tactical misstep that also took the edge off Ciccone’s beautiful move.
Meanwhile, Carapaz — the third possible outsider — managed to hang on, though likely hindered by the injuries he picked up in the Napoli crash.
With the two UAE riders leading the way and Roglic still in pink, the stage is set for some fantastic racing in the coming days. It’s likely the Slovenian simply had an off day and will come back swinging soon — but we’ll have to wait and see. One thing is certain: UAE now has two roosters in the same henhouse — one who’s been waiting to lead, and the other, a fearless young talent. Not the easiest situation to manage, and one that could ultimately play into Roglic’s hands.
Among the memorable images of the day, Pedersen’s effort stands out: despite wearing the pink jersey, he pulled hard on the front to support Ciccone. A rare and admirable act, especially from someone who dominated the opening week of the Giro.
