Following last year’s challenging postponed cycling season, the Giro’s opening time trial in Turin earlier this month felt like a small victory in itself. Of course, for INEOS Grenadier Filippo Ganna, stage one was even more significant as he powered his way to a commanding win and into 2021’s first leader jersey. But if last year taught us anything, it’s that racing – even a time trial – is never a solo endeavor, a truth that would prove itself increasingly evident throughout the next three weeks en route to Milan.
A GRAND RETURN TO FORM
With the Giro back in its typical May time slot, a favorite heading into the race, Egan Bernal, was making a return of his own. Forced to end his last Grand Tour bid due to persistent back injury, Bernal had clearly been working hard in the off-season, alongside stage-one winner Ganna and fellow Grenadier teammates. He seemed to be in top form for Italy’s biggest race, which kicked off in typical style with some early leader exchanges.
Filippo Ganna’s blistering opening time trial pace earned him enough of a lead to keep the pink jersey through stages two and three, before the Maglia Rosa moved to the shoulders of Alessandro De Marchi and Attila Valter. But, as excitement ratcheted up and the Giro headed into the first big mountain stage at stage 9, all eyes began to shift to the grimpeurs.
With six big climbs and an uphill, off-road finish, stage nine was always going to be electrifying, but few may have predicted it would set the narrative for the remainder of the race. Following more than a few thwarted breakaways, the stage came down to the final gravel climb. As team INEOS upped the tempo, Egan Bernal launched his attack, sprinting away from the leaders for his first-ever Grand Tour stage win and confidently into the pink jersey.
IT TAKES A TEAM
Donning the Maglia Rosa takes strength, timing and strategy—holding onto it for twelve more stages takes tremendous resolve and teamwork. With Filippo Ganna leading the way through the flatter, fast-paced stages and Dani Martinez, Salvatore Puccio and fellow Grenadiers trading turns on offense and defense, Egan Bernal had the right team behind (and in front of) him to manage to do just that. Never was this more evident than in Martinez’s heroic pace on the penultimate stage, setting Bernal up with a comfortable lead to carry him through the final 30km time trial into Milan and onto the podium’s top spot.
Congratulations to Egan Bernal on his first Giro d’Italia win. To display such a commanding performance, stage after stage after stage, is all the more impressive considering the tremendous effort it took to return to form after the challenges of last season.
Congratulations to Dani Martinez, Filippo Ganna and every INEOS Grenadier for leading the way to victory while earning the top team distinction along the way. Congratulations to the trainers and coaches and support crew—and from our team at fizik, thank you to everyone involved in returning the Maglia Rosa to its rightful month, ensuring that pink continues to be the color of May. We’re proud to support the glory of the Giro d’Italia together.
Five-time World Champion, three-time individual pursuit world record holder and star of one of the most exciting breakaways of last year’s Giro—Filippo Ganna has certainly made his name known in his short twenty-four years on earth. And while the 2020 season may have been one of the most unusual in any fan’s recent memory, it marked the most memorable of this young Italian’s burgeoning pro cycling career. Claiming victory as a national time-trial winner as well as earning distinction as the first Italian elite men’s time trial World Champion, riding alongside fellow INEOS Grenadiers, Ganna went on to repeatedly don the Maglia Rosa throughout the Giro d’Italia, following each of his four stage wins.
But victory doesn’t come cheap, with countless hours of discipline and hard work required to produce the watts needed to smash records and win World Championships. Recently back from high-elevation training with team INEOS, Filippo joined the Italian national cycling team for laps at the local velodrome, and we tagged along to witness a typical day in the run-up to this summer’s big races, including Ganna’s much anticipated return to the fast-approaching Giro d’Italia and the Tokyo Olympic Games later this summer.
Of course, the first step in any successful day on the saddle starts with dialling in the right set up. Guided by the experience of the team’s mechanic, Ganna’s bike is fine-tuned and adjusted for the best fit for lap after lap around the track. After all, when milliseconds matter, millimetres can make all the difference.
With his bike ready, Filippo steps onto the track, mounts his Pinarello – a work of art worthy of its own place on the podium – and starts to move. Spinning slowly at first, in a way that mimics his atypical approach to racing, he steadily gains speed until he’s little more than a blur, buzzing by with dizzying velocity. Tucking in with his team, they take turns in various positions on the paceline, lap after lap, as together they prepare for the team pursuit. But Ganna has more pressing matters on his mind as he splits off from the others, perfecting his form and building strength to hopefully, once again, come out ahead of the clock during this Giro’s two time trails—while ideally racking up plenty more stage wins along the way. After track laps, Ganna next heads to the gym to build strength through less–lightning-fast–means.
Finally, having completed his workout both on and off the saddle, it’s time for the three R’s of fitness: rest, refuel and repeat. Filippo will be back at it tomorrow, knowing that whether it comes to training on the track for Tokyo, racing the Giro with fellow INEOS Grenadiers or aiming to beat his own world record in the individual pursuit, to outpace the competition, he’ll have to work harder, go further and ride faster—even when that competition comes from within.
Be sure to tune in to watch Filippo Ganna in what promises to be an explosive opening stage of the 2021 Giro d’Italia this weekend, and follow along as Filippo, Egan Bernal, Pavel Sivakov and every member of team INEOS Grenadiers take on Italy’s grandest Tour.
The Giro d’Italia reached a thrilling climax this weekend as the new generation of INEOS Grenadiers riders rounded off an improbable three weeks with a superb Grand Tour win for Tao Geoghegan Hart as Filippo Ganna racked up a fourth stage win in Milan.
The three-week race saw a host of individual and collective displays of the highest level from the team after the loss of captain Geraint Thomas following an unfortunate crash on stage 3.
The Giro began first with a historic performance from UCI world champion Filippo Ganna who, in his first-ever Giro appearance, took the art of time trialling to a new level with the fastest-ever Grand Tour time trial average of 58.8 km/h. Swapping his rainbow stripes for the leader’s pink jersey, he then pushed clear on the final climb of stage 5 for his first career win on the road with a solo attack to conquer the 225km stage with over 4,500m of elevation, confirming his top condition and showing he can win on the road as well as he can against the clock.
The team went on to celebrate a remarkable run of three wins in four stages crowned by Tao Geoghegan Hart, the 25 year-old from Hackney, London, who aboard the Vento Argo R1 courageously ignited unexpected general classification hopes for the team.
Having crashed out of last year’s Giro with a broken collarbone, the win was all the more emotional as he crossed the line pointing to the sky in tribute to the team’s late Sports Director Nico Portal.
On stage 18, in what was surely one of the most memorable days in Giro history against the backdrop of the snow-capped peaks of the Dolomites, the slopes of the legendary Stelvio Pass saw a masterful INEOS Grenadiers performance that caused a dramatic GC shake-up, setting up the prospect of a thrilling final weekend after Tao’s superb second place on the stage moved him up to third place on GC, only 15 seconds away from the pink Jersey with just three stages to go.
Filippo Ganna went all out to win his fourth stage in the final time trial as Tao Geoghegan Hart made a valiant effort to secure the Maglia Rosa of the overall classification. He rode the race of his life, edging out Jai Hindley in the final time trial.
Covering 3,497 km up the length of Italy from Palermo, the capital of Sicily to the northern industrial powerhouse of Milan, the INEOS Grenadiers ended their spectacular run in style, showing truly impressive strength of character and remarkable consistency throughout the three-week race. Their spirited, attacking racing, record-breaking performances and unfailing team support played a central role in what is sure to go down as one of the greatest performances in one of the most memorable editions of Giro d’Italia history.
Congratulations to Tao Geoghegan Hart and the INEOS Grenadiers!
Following a spring and summer without pro cycling, we launched the RE-START campaign at the beginning of August and the excitement has been non-stop leading up to the Giro d’Italia. With a condensed racing calendar filling the streets across Europe and screens around the globe, the 2020 season may have come late, but it arrived with gusto, and there is still much more to come.
And as the sport returned, we eagerly tuned in to see how the pros would handle such an unprecedented competitive situation. Which made us wonder: what other Re-starts do pro cyclists face? And, when faced with change, how do the leaders of the peloton stay on top?
To hear what Tour champion G had to say, click on the video and join us after in Italy as we RE-START the Corsa Rosa together.
Cycling is a sport led by tradition, and though the bikes, individuals and colourful jerseys always change, the ceremony remains, and few cycling customs are held as sacred as this: of the three Grand Tours, the Giro d’Italia comes first.
Typically held in May when riders test their fresh legs over Italy’s famous peaks in a fight to finish in the Maglia Rosa. And while for the 103rd edition the Giro will retain much of its history and tradition, it will follow an exciting Tour de France, which finished in Paris just a few short weeks ago.
The change of schedule promises not only to shake things up as temperatures dip to near-freezing on the high climbs, this year leading up to Cima Coppi along the famed switchbacks of Passo Stelvio. It has also reshaped the field, with several prominent riders challenging La Corsa Rosa for the first time in their careers as the condensed cycling season opens up opportunities to new riders.
Yet no matter the month or whether the Giro comes first, second or last in the Grand Tour line-up, one thing is certain: with thousands of kilometres from the start in Sicily to the top of the final podium in Milan, including unpredictable conditions and the unforgiving gradients of both the Alps and Dolomites, an odyssey of thrill and drama awaits the riders of Italy’s boldest bike race that is sure to carry the Giro tradition forward in 2020.
The 2019 Giro has been amazing for fizik riders, with overall victory for Richard Carapaz of Movistar Team and a podium for Team Jumbo-Visma’s Primož Roglič. The 102nd edition of the Corsa Rosa brought a fresh format and new character to the 21-stage Grand Tour and was closely fought throughout. The General Classification battle swung from one fizik rider to another and was tough to predict right to the end, with the top four placings all up for grabs on the final day time trial shootout in historic Verona. But the Ecuadorian climber’s efforts throughout the three weeks – with great support from his Movistar Team – had given him a big enough lead and was enough to ensure he held on to the spot in his Infinito R1 Movistar Team shoes and Antares 00 saddle. In the final overall standings Carapaz was 1’05” ahead of Vincenzo Nibali, and 2’30” from Roglič with Mikel Landa just 8 seconds behind. HOW CARAPAZ DID IT The 26-year-old – who celebrated his birthday on Wednesday 29 May – set the GC battle alight as he won Stage 4 by pulling away from a strong breakaway group, then claimed Stage 14 with a brilliant solo attack on the last two climbs. He benefited from the superiority of his team – who won the General Super Team – not least the efforts of Landa who finished in a fine fourth position having worked hard for his younger team-mate in the final week. With a previous General Classification third place at the Corsa Rosa, and a near-miss at the Tour de France, Landa is undoubtedly a class act. And his two stage podium finishes this year – third on stage 13 and second on stage 20 – in support of Carapaz and in defence of his Maglia Rosa, also mark him as a loyal team player. But it was Carapaz who was strongest and became the first Ecuadorian to win the Giro d’Italia – and the second South American after team-mate Nairo Quintana. With the final eight days in the Maglia Rosa, Carapaz sustained peak performance using his Infinito R1 Movistar Team shoes and Antares 00 saddle. THE FIGHT FROM ROGLIC 29-year-old former ski jumper Primož Roglič captured the hearts of many fans with huge sustained effort to finish third overall with his Antares 00, as well as taking two stage wins at the 2019 Giro. In doing so, Roglic became the first Slovenian to make the final podium of a Grand Tour, his previous best having been fourth at the 2018 Tour de France. But this year his target has been the Corsa Rosa, the early stage races building up to a Giro that featured three Individual Time Trials, and all with some climbing. And he set about it with determination from the very first starting ramp. Roglič beasted the opening 8km Time Trial in Bologna – with its steep 2km finish – with a clear indication of his intent for the Grand Tour, setting him up for five days in the Maglia Rosa. He then took the second TT, Stage 9 into San Marino, winning by 11 seconds on the 34.8km route, putting himself back into second place on GC. And the fairytale ending would have been making it three-out-of-three with the closing 17km TT in – but the final week in the mountains, and the Movistar riders, had caught up with him.
But this edition belonged to Richard Carapaz: it seems certain that we will see him with more Grand tour victories. And Roglic? He’ll be back! Thanks to everyone for the entertainment. The 102nd edition has been a hugely exciting and successful Giro d’Italia for fizik riders, with overall victory for Richard Carapaz of Movistar Team. The three-week race was very tightly competed and the General Classification was impossible to call right down to the last days. As well as the GC victory there were two stage wins for Richard Carapaz. The Ecuadorian climber’s superb efforts enough to carry him to victory in his Infinito R1 Movistar Team shoes and Antares 00 saddle. Carapaz won the 228km Stage 4 by brilliantly pulling away from a group of strong breakaway riders to hold off one of the world’s most renowned sprinters, matching his 2018 Giro stage win. Then, just a few days before his 26th birthday, he claimed Stage 14 with a brilliant solo ride, attacking on the Colle San Carlo, showing a brave descent then soloing up the final climb to Courmayeur. It was a ride that took him into the overall lead and brought the world’s attention to the young Colombian’s talent. An amazing spectacle, thrilling from the very first stage, through the mountains and right to the closing time trial in Verona. Congratulations to Richard and thanks to all our riders for their enormous efforts and delivering such a great result! The 102nd Giro d’Italia has served up plenty of talking points in its first 12 stages. After winning the first of three Individual Time Trials in Bologna, Primož Roglič of Team Jumbo-Visma held the first Maglia Rosa until the GC table was shaken up by a breakaway on Stage 6. The Slovenian showed his form again on the second ITT (34.8km into San Marino), moving up to second, 1:50 behind the Maglia Rosa, but importantly with an increased advantage over his main GC rivals, 1:44 to the nearest threat, Nibali. The overall standings were shaken up on Stage 12, a break triggering splintered groups and some unexpected names hitting the top 10. Roglic is still in second, now more than 4 minutes down – maintaining his advantage over his recognised GC rivals. STAGE WINS We saw an impressive win for Richard Carapaz of Movistar Team on Stage 4, the Ecuadorian climber dancing away from a high class breakaway bunch to claim his second Grand Tour stage victory. It was soon followed by a podium on Stage 6 for his team-mate José Rojas who sits in fourth on GC. Both remain dedicated to their Spanish team leader Mikel Landa who has work to do as the climbing starts. The next day it was the turn of AG2R La Mondiale’s Tony Gallopin to step up on the podium, taking second place from the remnants of a brave breakaway in an exciting finish in l’Aquila. Meanwhile, his team-mate and fellow Frenchman Nans Peters was riding high, third on GC and looking good in the Maglia Bianca of the best young rider until Stage 12’s breakaway and overall reshuffle. We’ve seen Team Ineos’ young lead duo – Pavel Sivakov and Tao Geoghegan Hart – holding station on the GC despite getting caught in crashes, and their more experienced team-mate Christian Knees making a late break ahead of the sprint finish on Stage 11 into Novi Ligure before 22-year-old Irishman Eddie Dunbar’s brilliant performance to take third place on Stage 12. NEXT, THE MOUNTAINS There’s a lot of climbing this week. On today’s Stage 13 the climbing keeps on coming with three hard KOMs, while Saturday’s Stage 14 features five KOMs and a total elevation of 4,000m culminating in the summit finish of Courmayeur. Sunday’s stage is the longest. Its 237km from Ivrea to the shores of Lake Como includes ascents familiar from Il Lombardia: Madonna del Ghisallo, Colma di Sormano, Civiglio and San Fermo. Monday 27 May is the second rest day of the 102nd Corsa Rosa, before the climbing continues ahead of the final day’s concluding time trial in Verona. Movistar Team’s Richard Carapaz claimed a stage victory for the second consecutive Giro d’Italia with an unlikely stage win in Frascati on a 235km course that had been expected to result in a bunch sprint. He, and Team Jumbo-Visma’s General Classification leader Primož Roglič took their opportunities when they found themselves on the “right side” of another late crash on stage 4 that caused splits in the peloton. A group of six riders – including the Ecuadorian and the Slovenian –broke away in the last kilometres of what became a chaotic stage finish. Carapaz knew that the six included sprinters and was brave to time his move perfectly at only 400m out, after almost 6 hours of racing, to hold off a late effort by fast-man Caleb Ewan. 25-year-old Carapaz took his second Grand Tour win, and Roglič saw his GC lead grow from 19 seconds to 35, as some of his main rivals were held up in the aftermath of the crash, including Movistar Team’s Mikel Landa who dropped 36 seconds. 29-year-old Roglič retains the Maglia Rosa that he earned with his convincing win on Stage 1 in an unusually short Individual Time Trial, featuring steep climbs in the last 2 of its 8km, up to the San Luca sanctuary just outside Bologna. As well as putting down the power on that opening stage he has shown the wisdom to stay out of trouble on the following days – all part of the craft of a serious GC contender, which is exactly what Roglič looks right now! It’s been an exciting and unpredictable opening four stages, with no doubt lots more drama to some before we reach Verona on 2nd June. Jumbo-Visma’s GC leader Primož Roglič is in the pink from the earliest opportunity after claiming the first Maglia Rosa of the 102nd Corsa Rosa. The Slovenian was head and shoulders ahead of his competitors, winning the opening stage of the Giro d’Italia on the 8km Individual Time Trial – with its spiky 2km climb at the finish to the San Luca sanctuary – forging a 19-second advantage over the chasing pack that he has maintained after the following two stages which featured sprint finishes. As bad weather had been predicted towards the end of the Stage 1 running order many of the favorites took the early slots available to their teams, creating an unusual situation where the lead was held from near the start of proceedings. Roglič went early and was to wait in the hot-seat for more than two hours until his victory was confirmed after the solid but ultimately unsuccessful effort by Simon Yates, then the final run from Salvatore Puccio. The Slovenian’s Stage 1 win sets up the overall battle perfectly, with his General Classification rivals all facing a time deficit and psychological hill to climb.
