2021 Baby Giro Diaries | Stage 2
06/04/21 • 15 min
Welcome to the second of our daily shows following this year’s U23 Giro d’Italia.
After each stage, we are bringing you short round-ups of the day’s action, together with audio diaries from the British-registered Holdsworth-Zappi team, Trinity Racing’s Tom Gloag, and SEG Racing and Rayner Foundation rider Harrison Wood.
Stage 2 from Riccione to Imola was 138.2 kilometres long and featured two categorised climbs, both positioned towards the back end of the stage. The last of the climbs, the Cima Gallisterna, was also the final climb in last year’s world road race championships.
The race itself began with the familiar sight of an early break while the rest of the peloton held its fire. The break featured four riders, including Holdsworth-Zappi’s Connor Sens. It was never allowed more than about three minutes, however, and was brought back with around 40 kilometres to go.
Pre-race favourite Juan Ayuso punched clear to lead solo over the top of the Gallisterna. He was joined by his Colpack Ballan teammate Alessandro Verre and Henok Mulubrhan of Team Qhubeka. Despite having just a slender lead, they held off the chasers on the downhill finish, with Ayuso taking the win.
The result moves 18-year-old Ayuso into the overall lead. It’s early days in the race, but given his form this year, it would not be a surprise to see him hold on to pink all the way to the end of the race.
Behind Ayuso, Trinity Racing’s Ben Turner picked up yet another top 10, finishing 8 seconds back in 7th, while our diarist Tom Gloag was also in the mix, crossing the line in 14th at 11 seconds.
It was less positive news for his teammate Ben Healy’s GC hopes, though, as he lost almost two minutes, while diarist Harrison Wood came in in 77th, around three minutes down.
The other Brit, Ollie Rees, endured another tough day, crossing the line 160th. Holdsworth-Zappi’s best finisher, meanwhile, was the Dutch rider Daan Hoeks, in 53rd.
The next stage – stage 3 – is from Cesenatico-Cesenatico. It’s 133km long and features over 2000m of climbing. Most of the climbing comes in the middle of the stage, however, so it’s more likely to be a breakaway day or a reduced bunch finish than a major GC stage.
In our diaries today, we hear first from Tom, who seems pleased with his day’s work despite the heat. Harrison then tells us he didn’t quite have the legs today but is hoping for better as the race progresses, and we also hear from his roommate, the Italian Marco Frigo, who shares his thoughts about stage 3. Finally, we hear from a disappointed Holdsworth-Zappi manager Callum Ferguson, whose team's GC hopes were dashed today. He once again provides a fascinating insight into the logistical challenges that teams like his face and is hopeful his team can turn their fortunes around as the race develops.
Rapha presents The British Continental.
Welcome to the second of our daily shows following this year’s U23 Giro d’Italia.
After each stage, we are bringing you short round-ups of the day’s action, together with audio diaries from the British-registered Holdsworth-Zappi team, Trinity Racing’s Tom Gloag, and SEG Racing and Rayner Foundation rider Harrison Wood.
Stage 2 from Riccione to Imola was 138.2 kilometres long and featured two categorised climbs, both positioned towards the back end of the stage. The last of the climbs, the Cima Gallisterna, was also the final climb in last year’s world road race championships.
The race itself began with the familiar sight of an early break while the rest of the peloton held its fire. The break featured four riders, including Holdsworth-Zappi’s Connor Sens. It was never allowed more than about three minutes, however, and was brought back with around 40 kilometres to go.
Pre-race favourite Juan Ayuso punched clear to lead solo over the top of the Gallisterna. He was joined by his Colpack Ballan teammate Alessandro Verre and Henok Mulubrhan of Team Qhubeka. Despite having just a slender lead, they held off the chasers on the downhill finish, with Ayuso taking the win.
The result moves 18-year-old Ayuso into the overall lead. It’s early days in the race, but given his form this year, it would not be a surprise to see him hold on to pink all the way to the end of the race.
Behind Ayuso, Trinity Racing’s Ben Turner picked up yet another top 10, finishing 8 seconds back in 7th, while our diarist Tom Gloag was also in the mix, crossing the line in 14th at 11 seconds.
It was less positive news for his teammate Ben Healy’s GC hopes, though, as he lost almost two minutes, while diarist Harrison Wood came in in 77th, around three minutes down.
The other Brit, Ollie Rees, endured another tough day, crossing the line 160th. Holdsworth-Zappi’s best finisher, meanwhile, was the Dutch rider Daan Hoeks, in 53rd.
The next stage – stage 3 – is from Cesenatico-Cesenatico. It’s 133km long and features over 2000m of climbing. Most of the climbing comes in the middle of the stage, however, so it’s more likely to be a breakaway day or a reduced bunch finish than a major GC stage.
In our diaries today, we hear first from Tom, who seems pleased with his day’s work despite the heat. Harrison then tells us he didn’t quite have the legs today but is hoping for better as the race progresses, and we also hear from his roommate, the Italian Marco Frigo, who shares his thoughts about stage 3. Finally, we hear from a disappointed Holdsworth-Zappi manager Callum Ferguson, whose team's GC hopes were dashed today. He once again provides a fascinating insight into the logistical challenges that teams like his face and is hopeful his team can turn their fortunes around as the race develops.
Rapha presents The British Continental.
Previous Episode
2021 Baby Giro Diaries | Stage 1
Welcome to the first of our daily shows following this year’s U23 Giro d’Italia, a race affectionately known as the Baby Giro.
After each stage, we’ll be bringing you short round-ups of the day’s action, together with audio diaries from the British-registered Holdsworth-Zappi team, Trinity Racing’s Tom Gloag, and SEG Racing Academy’s Harrison Wood. The latter is of course of supported by the Rayner Foundation.
Stage 1 was a 144 kilometre from Cesenatico to Riccione. In our preview of the race, Joseph Doherty predicted this flat-ish stage would be one for the sprinters. But it was Italian Andrea Cantoni who took a surprise win at the end of a long day in the break on his home roads in Romagna. Cantoni will wear the leader’s pink jersey tomorrow as a result and now holds a 26 second lead in the general classification.
Behind Cantoni, Trinity Racing’s Ben Turner was the best-placed Brit, finishing a fine 6th after jumping away with 30 kilometres to go and closing a three-minute gap on his own. Tom Gloag and Harrison Wood – as well as Ireland’s Ben Healy - all finished in the main bunch behind, while the other Brit in the race, Ollie Rees, was 165th, just over 11 minutes down.
Tomorrow’s stage to Imola should be a more selective affair. It features the Cima Gallisterna, the same climb that Alaphillipe used as his springboard to win the world championships last year. Positioned just 10 kilometres from the finish, it offers opportunities for puncheurs and GC contenders alike to gain time and grab a stage win.
See the full results here.
We have three diary entries for your delectation in this episode.
First up is Trinity Racing’s Tom Gloag, who describes how his stage went (he crashed), bigs up Ben Turner’s incredible bid for the stage win and explains the roles each rider in the team has.
Harrison then provides a thoughtful review of the stage, explaining why his team decided not to chase the break today.
And last but not least we hear from Holdsworth-Zappi manager Callum Ferguson. Callum gives us an insight into the busy life of a team manager at the Baby Giro, and lends us his local knowledge too.
Rapha presents The British Continental.
Next Episode
2021 Baby Giro Diaries | Stage 3
Welcome to the third of our daily Baby Giro shows, bringing a round-up of the day’s action, together with diary entries from Tom Gloag, Harrison Wood and Holdsworth-Zappi.
Stage 3 from Cesanatico-Cesanatico was 133 kilometres long and featured over 2000 metres of climbing. After a flat first 29 kilometres, the stage then included four categorised climbs in relatively quick succession, culminating in the category 1 Barbotto climb, which topped out with around 43 kilometres to go. After that, it was pretty much all downhill to the finish.
It was a day for the breakaway today with Alessio Bonelli from the Biesse Arvedi taking the spoils over Luca Colnaghi in an 8-man tussle for the win. The main bunch rolled in 26 seconds later and included our diarists Tom Gloag and Harrison Wood – who crossed the line together – as well as Trinity Racing’s two Bens – Healy and Turner. Holdsworth-Zappi’s best finisher was once again Dan Hoeks, who also finished in the main bunch.
Juan Ayuso retains the pink jersey, while Ben Turner remains in 4th overall, just 13 seconds back. Tom Gloag lies 22nd, at 21 seconds behind the leader.
Tomorrow’s pan flat 27-kilometre individual time trial should result in a GC shake-up before the race heads into the mountains on stage 5.
In our diary entries, we hear first from Tom, who had a relatively uncomplicated stage. He talks about how the heat has affected the race so far, weighs up the potential GC contenders, and says he hopes to fare better in the stage 4 time trial than he did in his last TT, when he came dead last (listeners should check out our interview with Tom from earlier in the series to find out the full story). Harrison is up next. He experienced a better day despite a small crash in which he broke his shoe and says he’s looking forward to tomorrow’s time trial, tipping his teammate Daan Hoole for the win.
No dispatch from Holdsworth-Zappi from this stage, alas.
Rapha presents The British Continental.
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