Jai Hindley of Australia (Bora), defeated Richard Carapaz from Ecuador in the Tour of Italy, Saturday’s 20th and penultimate stages won by Alessandro Covi of Italy at Passo Fedaia.
Carapaz lost almost a minute and half to Hindley during the last three kilometers of the big Dolomites Stage. The Australian will be at Verona’s start of the time trial with a 1 minute 25 second advantage over Hindley, the Olympic champion who has worn the pink jersey since the 14th Stage.
Covi was 32 seconds ahead of Domen Novak from Slovenia and 37 seconds ahead of Giulio Ciccone from Italy for the stage victory. Covi, who was 53 km from the finish in the Pordoi breakaway, climbed the Fedaia final ascent (14 km at 7.6%) in more than two minutes with a counter-attack group, and six minutes with the favorites peloton.
In the San Pellegrino and Pordoi, which were the first two passes of today, the candidates for the podium stayed together, following the Spaniard Mikel landa’s teammates. They waited until the Passo Fedaia’s steepest slopes were completed to make their points.
Hindley began at 3.5 km and was bent by Carapaz with 2800m to go. Landa was able to pass the pink jersey holder, who suffered from severe pain, and conceded 1 minute 28 seconds to the Australian.
The pink jersey is now owned by Jai Hindley! Jai Hindley is elected at the expense Richard Carapaz, while Alessandro Covi signs a great number to win Stage 20.
Hindley, 26 years old, finished second at the 2020 Giro. He wore the pink jersey that year on the eve the finish, but he lost it in Milan’s final time trial. He had approached the finish line in the same time as the Briton Tao Geoghegan Hart, but he was not able to complete the time.
Covi, a 23 year-old Piedmontese won the Giro for first time. He finished 2nd on the Montalcino stage on the “white trails” of Tuscany and 3rd on the Monte Zoncolan stage.
The final time trial, which is 17.4 kilometers long, will take place at the Torricelle circuit, Verona. It was used in the 1999 and 2004 Worlds. Carapaz won the 2019 Giro. Then came the identical finish, with the arrival at the famous bullring. This is where Francesco Moser beat Laurent Fignon in a remarkable edition of 1984.
