Giro d'Italia Giro d'Italia 2025, stage 3: Vlorë > Vlorë (160 km)

[Cycling111]

If another 4-5 riders, who were about 4-5 minutes behind, had gone with Fortunado and Bilbao, the stage wouldn't have been decided in a sprint. At that moment Pedersen was suffering, but Fortunado and Bilbao alone couldn´t widen the gap.

Some teams lacked ambition.
Last year Bardet complaining that no breaks were arriving. Today was a day for a break to arrive if they collaborated at that moment. Where was Picnic?
You can't expect them to give you the break; you have to fight for it. If you don't do it when it's possible, don't complain later.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Honestly, Pedersen climbed worse than most expected and still wasn‘t the worst climber today involved in the sprint. I think the stage still underwhelmed even expecting a Pedersen win.

 

[Oldman]

They met an albanian godfather.

He made them an offer they couldn't understand.

Do you mean Goatfather?

 

[Brullnux]

I fully agree.

But I think Trek has a better train and Pedersen has a shot if he rides long sprints.

On raw speed they are both faster than him.

I don't think Pedersen has looked particularly fast this year, in fact I reckon he's looked quite a bit slower. He only just beat Van Aert on Friday, who is certainly slower. We shall see, but I'd be surprised if he takes the flat stages.

 

[Brullnux]

Just realised KoM gets 180 UCI points, same as 11th on GC. Seems a much more enjoyable goal for Fortunato than Zubeldia-ing the GC, given it could also lead to a stage win.

 

[Gigs_98]

Idk, I feel like this is how these kind of stages usually go. Remember when Greipel won stage 2 in 2017? Teams tend to be very passive in medium mountain stages early in GTs so if the stage doesn't go to the break not much will happen in the peloton.

 

[Cookster15]

Tough climb might be too far from the finish for non climbers to chase back. But Lidl-Trek were the strongest team in today's TT so they might try to regain pink for Pedersen before the finish.

If I have to pick someone I'll pick Mads Pedersen to win the stage and regain pink.

Congrats to Lidl-Trek and Pedersen. If other teams want to win they need to do more to try.

 

[Red Rick]

Idk, I feel like this is how these kind of stages usually go. Remember when Greipel won stage 2 in 2017? Teams tend to be very passive in medium mountain stages early in GTs so if the stage doesn't go to the break not much will happen in the peloton.

Forgot that one.

But basically nobody is out of GC yet, so the target group for this stage sort of doesn't exist yet. The final makes it very unfriendly for climbers, and hybrids/breakaway specialists don't really have the firepower to just ride away on the climb.

So mostly if something is gonna happen, it has to be a big break. And it very consistently happens currently that attempts at big breaks get very easily thwarted as long as 1 or 2 teams signal they don't want anything to happen. Especially when the start is on big, flat roads.

 

[T-Nielsen]

Do you mean Goatfather?

How dare you improve a joke that I stole from the Sopranos.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Idk, I feel like this is how these kind of stages usually go. Remember when Greipel won stage 2 in 2017? Teams tend to be very passive in medium mountain stages early in GTs so if the stage doesn't go to the break not much will happen in the peloton.

Stage 2 of 2017 had about zero real gradients though, maybe possible to drop Greipel, but you can‘t compare the stage to this one at all.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Just realised KoM gets 180 UCI points, same as 11th on GC. Seems a much more enjoyable goal for Fortunato than Zubeldia-ing the GC, given it could also lead to a stage win.

Yeah, Fortunato already said before the Giro that he isn't riding for the gc. So stages and KoM. After today he can take it a bit easier for a few days too.

 

[Netserk]

Idk, I feel like this is how these kind of stages usually go. Remember when Greipel won stage 2 in 2017? Teams tend to be very passive in medium mountain stages early in GTs so if the stage doesn't go to the break not much will happen in the peloton.

I don't think that was meaningfully comparable.

 

[Red Rick]

I don't think that was meaningfully comparable.

220km and 3500m altitude gain, with a more difficult start. There's parallels as far as breakaway prospects go.

 

[Netserk]

220km and 3500m altitude gain, with a more difficult start. There's parallels as far as breakaway prospects go.

The breakaway phase was somewhat promising today until Tarling stepped on the gas and 4 riders went clear. Had he been uncommitted until in a larger group, I could easily imagine that phase going on for a fair bit longer and to entice more teams to jump on moves.

 

[Brullnux]

Yeah, Fortunato already said before the Giro that he isn't riding for the gc. So stages and KoM. After today he can take it a bit easier for a few days too.

Much more fun to watch, and probably ride.

 

[Netserk]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26O2DVdXAs0

Lorenzo, well done on that. Maglia Azzurra is the number one target for everyone in this Giro, yeah?
Number one target’s to win stages, then there’s the blue jersey. Today i had nothing to lose, could only have a go with the legs — saw the breakaways just up ahead, so i went for it. Bagged the KOM points, then with Pello we thought, maybe we can make it? Maybe. But when we got down with that headwind, we said “right, let’s just wait for the bunch, that’s it.”

But for a moment, you and Pello thought you might have a shot at the win?
Yeah, yeah — at the top of the climb we said let’s give it a go, had 50 seconds, knew there weren’t loads of people chasing behind. Anything can happen. Obviously with Trek pulling like that and a wide road, it wasn’t ideal. Me and him, we’re not exactly rouleurs, so we sat up, gave it up. But the Giro is long, there’ll be other chances.

And after romandie — went well for you there, how are the legs now?
Legs are good, especially uphill. Now I’ve just got to wait for Friday, and that’ll be the first proper test for all the climbers.

 

[titan31]

Much more fun to watch, and probably ride.

Id still assume just due to the level of GC guys at the Giro, doing it will probably be close to get him a top 10 anyway.

KOM and 12th is better than 8th really (not sure on points) and more likely to pick up a stage win doing it than just riding in the bunch

 

[hayneplane]

He could if he rode as a stage hunter - but the sprinters field is far better in the Tour and on the puncheur stages you have to contend with MvdP - so it would still be highly unrealistic.

As a GC rider - no way.

July MVDP is a very different beast to April MVDP.

 

[Gigs_98]

Stage 2 of 2017 had about zero real gradients though, maybe possible to drop Greipel, but you can‘t compare the stage to this one at all.

It was different, definitely less of a chance for gc action in that stage but I think it was more surprising that it ended in a bunch sprint than it was today. I think the fact that there was barely any flat would have made life for attackers way easier but as far as I remember literally nobody attacked on the climb.

 

[Roku]

Regarding Fortunato: Points-wise it is more appealing going for KoM, ending up 15th on GC and getting some nice results on stages rather than finishing 9th with a couple of Top15 in stages.

 

[Red Rick]

Regarding Fortunato: Points-wise it is more appealing going for KoM, ending up 15th on GC and getting some nice results on stages rather than finishing 9th with a couple of Top15 in stages.

KoM chase probably gets more points from stages than GC too.

The only problem I see for Fortunato is I don't really see great breakaway stages for him as a pure climber to win., while it looks juicy for more hybrid breakaway riders

 

[Salvarani]

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REST?

GOAT

 

[RedheadDane]

GOAT

That was just Dion Smith...

 

[staubsauger]

KoM chase probably gets more points from stages than GC too.

The only problem I see for Fortunato is I don't really see great breakaway stages for him as a pure climber to win., while it looks juicy for more hybrid breakaway riders

Fortunato for KoM, Scaroni & Co for stage wins, Kanter to farm points with sprint top 10 placements.

 

[pihi42]