Carapaz and Movistar enjoy another fruitful day as Giro d'Italia leaders
In Italy an often-used phrase says: Fra I due litigant il terzo gode – When there are two people arguing, someone else takes advantage. At the Giro d’Italia, Richard Carapaz (Movistar) is taking advantage of the duel between Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) and Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) and building his race lead whenever he can.
On Sunday, the 25 year-old Ecuadorian extended his overall lead to 47 seconds after Roglic and his Jumbo-Visma directeur sportif sparked a comedy of errors in a high-speed hectic finale on the roads of the Il Lombardia classic.
As the riders enjoy the second rest day in and around Bergamo on Monday, Carapaz is now a feared overall contender, with his rivals regretting every second they have lost to him.
Carapaz started the Giro d’Italia mountains in 20th place overall. He moved up to eighth in Pinerolo and sixth after the first mountain finish on Friday in Lago Serru, where Nibali and Roglic marked each other and let their rivals ride away. Carapaz then surged away on the final climb of Saturday’s stage to Courmayeur to pull back almost two minutes and become the first Ecuadoran rider to ever wear the race leader’s maglia rosa.
On Sunday, Carapaz’s dream scenarios and maglia rosa defence continued. He was able to go with Nibali when the Italian attacked on the steep Civiglio climb and while Roglic suffered after a late bike change and then crashing on the descent. Carapaz found himself with a leads of 47 seconds on Roglic. Nibali is 1:47 seconds back.
Some have suggested that Carapaz has been gifted the time that put him pink by the Roglic-Nibali duel and other people’s misfortune. He insisted that bike racing is far more complex, with every race leader earning his moment of glory.
Fourth in 2018 and growing in confidence
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