CASSANO MAGNAGO, Italy— Germany’s Nico Denz sprinted to his second victory in the Giro d´Italia after almost celebrating too early, while Bruno Armirail became the first Frenchman to wear the pink jersey in this century.
Denz lifted his arms in celebration as he crossed the line at the end of the 14th stage but he appeared not to have spotted Derek Gee on his right. However, the German cyclist managed to pip Gee by half a wheel.
Denz, who rides for Bora-Hansgrohe, won Thursday´s 12th stage for his first victory in a Grand Tour, in his sixth Giro.
“I was satisfied already after the first one and I told people to wake me up because this can´t be true, this must be a dream,” Denz said according to AP. “I don´t understand really what´s going on right now to be honest.”
Alberto Bettiol was third, while the general classification riders rolled across the line more than 21 minutes behind Denz at the end of another cold and rainy stage.
That moved Armirail into pink and gave previous leader Geraint Thomas a night off from podium celebrations and news conferences, and an early recovery ahead of a tough day in the mountains.
Armirail became the first French cyclist to wear the maglia rosa since Laurent Jalabert in 1999. The Groupama-FDJ rider has an advantage of 1 minute, 41 seconds over Thomas, and Primoz Roglic was two seconds further back.
“The plan this morning was more about the stage win,” Armirail said. “We thought one day the maglia rosa could be up for grabs.
“I had tried on the fourth stage and I was disappointed that I wasn´t on a good day. Only once Thomas crossed the line it became a reality in my mind but it´s hard to realize … it´s a dream, I can´t believe it.”
There was one top-category climb near the start at Sierre as the race headed from Switzerland back across to Italy and an almost entirely flat rest of the 193-kilometer (120-mile) route to Cassano Magnago.
A large breakaway of 29 riders eventually escaped on the approach to the climb.
Four riders got away from that bunch with about 60 kilometers remaining but they were caught by the chasing group shortly before the line.
“We put in a massive, massive effort to come back in the last 10K,” Denz said. “Everyone was going full, everyone wanted to go for the victory and not for fourth place. Everyone was looking at each other.
“But I thought, I already have a win so I don´t want to do fourth – either I win or I don´t care. Then I just go all in to the line and here I am again.”
Armirail was 53 seconds behind and faced an anxious wait for the general classification group.
The Giro ends in Rome in eight days.
ldani, Laurenz Rex and Davide Ballerini attacked with just over 50km left and were quickly joined by Toms Skujins.
The quartet worked together excellently to pull away from their pursuers, but ran out of steam in the final stages and were swallowed up with the finish line in sight.
Groupama-FDJ’s Armirail crossed the line 53 seconds behind Denz to become the Giro’s first French leader since 1999, with Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) a minute and 41 seconds behind to be second overall. The race favourite, Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), is third.
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