In what was billed as a key test for the overall contenders, the Giro d’Italia’s time trial stage from Foligno to Perugia did not disappoint. Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates demonstrated his class once again, triumphing over the 40.6km course which concluded with a punishing climb, propelling him further ahead in the general classification.
Earlier in the day, the time trial specialists had their moment with Filippo Ganna of Ineos Grenadiers setting a blistering pace, only to be bested by Pogačar who turned a significant deficit at the bottom of the final climb into a winning margin by the summit. Ganna’s teammate, Magnus Sheffield, also put in a strong performance to finish third.
Pogačar’s ride was not just about extending his lead; it was a statement of intent. “It was a lot of preparation for this, a lot of ups and downs since last year in the time trial, so I’m super happy that today I felt good,” he remarked shortly after finishing.
This stage was pivotal for many in the GC hunt, not least for Ineos Grenadiers’ Geraint Thomas and Bora-Hansgrohe’s Dani Martínez, who both lost significant time to Pogačar but managed to limit their losses enough to maintain their high overall standings.
Luke Plapp, who had been one of the heroes of the previous day’s breakaway, continued his impressive Giro, finishing the stage strongly to move up to fifth in the overall standings. His effort today was a mix of grit and strategy, “It was a brutal day right from the start. The pace was relentless, but breaking away felt right. We worked well together, but in the end, Pelayo had the edge. Still, I’m pleased with how we managed to stay out front,” he said.
Meanwhile, young Cian Uijtdebroeks (Visma-Lease a Bike) faced challenges early in the stage but recovered well to limit his time losses. Despite slipping in the white jersey standings, Uijtdebroeks remains optimistic about his prospects in the upcoming mountain stages.
As the riders recover and refocus, the Giro’s narrative continues to evolve with Pogačar firmly in control but with many challengers still poised to test his dominance in the mountainous stages that lie ahead.
2024 Giro d’Italia Stage 7 result
Results powered by FirstCycling.com
Photo credits: LaPresse