Elia Viviani makes poker by beating Sam Bennet who was hoping for the set and to reach the Italian of Quick-Step Floors: with victory n. 4 of Iseo under a sudden downpour, Viviani - waiting to attempt the "manita" in the final catwalk on Sunday in Rome - confirms himself as the strongest sprinter in the Giro with a haul of successes at least equal to that achieved last year by the Colombian Gaviria, who this year has preferred to raid fast stages at the Tour of California. After the time trial and waiting for the all uphill triptych that awaits the riders from today to Saturday, the classification hasn't suffered any shocks, as could be expected, with Simon Yates, still in the pink jersey with a 56” lead over Dumoulin.
Even yesterday, for the record, the breakaway of the day didn't go through, a constant of this Giro that has never rewarded the courageous on duty, except for the feat of Matej Mohoric in Gualdo Tadino. So on the finish straight at Iseo a platoon of about eighty showed up with the big names leaving the epilogue scene to the sprinters. Bennett has to raise the white flag in front of Viviani well piloted by Stybar and Sabatini.
Third is Bonifazio, fourth the Belgian Andy Van Poppel. Yates, Dumoulin, Froome and Pinot, mixed into the group, arrive paired up. Among the important names in this group – even if by now out of the standings – there is once again Fabio Aru who arrives escorted by three of his companions after more than 6 and a half minutes, proving that he really isn't there in this Giro.
Today the Giro climbs again. Departure from Abbiatergrasso, on the outskirts of Milan - this year without the Giro - and arrival at 1153 meters of Pratonevoso, a totally flat stage except for the last 15 km which have an average gradient of 7%: a sort of appetizer before the 4 thousand meters of difference in altitude to overcome in tomorrow's stage of Bardonecchia with Colle delle Finestre, Cima Coppi with its 2178 between Colle del Lys and Sestrière.
A triptych – on Saturday there will be the arrival in Cervinia – which in the challenge between Yates and Dumoulin should once again favor the British in the pink jersey who has so far appeared to be the strongest and most perky climber of the Giro – it is not for nothing that Yates is also the owner of the blue shirt. But the ascent of Pratonevoso recalls that of Oropa and Arcalis-Andorra, two goals that saw Dumoulin triumph, respectively at last year's Giro and at the 2016 Tour. And the Dutchman, although disappointed by the outcome of the time trial, does not he's the type to give up even if he admits that the undertaking with this Yates seems like a "mission impossible".
