2020 Giro d’Italia – Stage 8 – Highlights, Report, Results
Highlights
Report
The dream began five short years ago with a small continental team run by former-owner Ran Margaliot, and today it reached this new, incredible milestone: Alex Dowsett won Israel Cycling Academy’s first WorldTour stage in a Grand Tour.
Together with teammate Matthias Brändle he got in the breakaway of the day. Together with Matthias he was dropped on one of the climbs, and together with him he came back to the front. “Matthias and I never stopped believing,” said Dowsett.
“Having two in the break of six was essential,” the British ITT-champion said. When they returned to the front group, Brändle attacked first and then Dowsett went – towards a historic result for Israel Start-Up Nation. “It could easily have been Matthias,” said Dowsett after the finish.
The emotions took over at the finish line. First was the burst of energy and a shout that could be heard in Rome. Then came the unreal feelings and the tears of joy. Finally, the thoughts of his pregnant wife.
ISN co-owner Sylvan Adams, watching the race on television, heard the commentators shouting ‘Yalla’ – our slogan – to Alex. “All the excitement demonstrates that our project has significance beyond sport, it’s showing the true heart of Israel to hundreds of millions of fans around the world. I could not be more proud.”
ISN co-owner Ron Baron had been dreaming of this moment for a long time. “When we founded this team only five years ago, we surely dreamed that we will reach this moment today. We are a team of dreamers who make them reality one by one. This historic moment will actualize our biggest goal: to inspire the next generation of young Israelis to take on this beautiful sport.”
Directeur Sportif Nicki Sörensen, who was in the car behind Brändle and Dowsett, did not find it coincidental that history was written with this team here in the Giro. “This amazing result is because the team atmosphere has been superb this Giro. I am proud to see them fighting every day for a victory and today was our day. I have goosebumps.”
Matthias Brändle came across the finish line in fifth position and was the first one the congratulate Dowsett. They gave each other a big hug, as Dowsett was still wiping tears out of his eyes. “What an amazing day for Israel Start-Up Nation.”
It wasn’t all amazing news today – our Alex Cataford crashed badly two-thirds of the way into the stage. He suffered a lot of road rash but did finish the stage.
Results
Stage
| 1 | Alex Dowsett (GBr) Israel Start-Up Nation | 4:50:09 |
| 2 | Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers | 0:01:15 |
| 3 | Matthew Holmes (GBr) Lotto Soudal | |
| 4 | Joseph Rosskopf (USA) CCC Team | |
| 5 | Matthias Brändle (Aut) Israel Start-Up Nation | 0:02:10 |
| 6 | Simone Ravanelli (Ita) Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec | 0:02:13 |
| 7 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb | 0:13:56 |
| 8 | Fernando Gaviria Rendon (Col) UAE Team Emirates | |
| 9 | Mikkel Bjerg (Den) UAE Team Emirates | |
| 10 | Andrea Vendrame (Ita) AG2R la Mondiale |
General Classification
| 1 | Joao Almeida (Por) Deceuninck-Quickstep | 29:52:34 |
| 2 | Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain McLaren | 0:00:43 |
| 3 | Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb | 0:00:48 |
| 4 | Harm Vanhoucke (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:00:59 |
| 5 | Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Trek-Segafredo | 0:01:01 |
| 6 | Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) NTT Pro Cycling | 0:01:05 |
| 7 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team | 0:01:19 |
| 8 | Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team Jumbo-Visma | 0:01:21 |
| 9 | Patrick Konrad (Aut) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:01:26 |
| 10 | Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe | 0:01:32 |
Points
| 1 | Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ | 163 |
| 2 | Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-Hansgrohe | 107 |
| 3 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Team Sunweb | 87 |
| 4 | Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers | 45 |
| 5 | Davide Ballerini (Ita) Deceuninck-Quickstep | 40 |
Mountains
| 1 | Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers | 41 |
| 2 | Jonathan Caicedo (Ecu) EF Pro Cycling | 40 |
| 3 | Matthew Holmes (GBr) Lotto Soudal | 20 |
| 4 | Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) NTT Pro Cycling | 19 |
| 5 | Edoardo Zardini (Ita) Vini Zabu’ KTM | 18 |
Young Riders
| 1 | Joao Almeida (Por) Deceuninck-Quickstep | 29:52:34 |
| 2 | Harm Vanhoucke (Bel) Lotto Soudal | 0:00:59 |
| 3 | Jai Hindley (Aus) Team Sunweb | 0:01:33 |
| 4 | Sergio Samitier Samitier (Spa) Movistar Team | 0:02:12 |
| 5 | Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Mitchelton-Scott | 0:02:47 |