2024 Giro d’Italia Stage 10 | Highlights
Report
In a thrilling mountain finish, Valentin Paret-Peintre of Decathlon-AG2R clinched victory on stage 10 of the Giro d’Italia, conquering the challenging climb to Bocca della Selva in the southern Apennines.
The stage saw a breakaway group of 27 riders surge ahead after a fast start to the 142 km stage from Pompei to Cusano Mutri. Paret-Peintre, part of this group, chased down lone attacker Jan Tratnik of Visma-Lease a Bike in the final kilometers of the climb to claim his first professional victory.
Romain Bardet of DSM-Firmenich PostNL was in contention but was distanced in the final three kilometers, finishing 29 seconds behind Paret-Peintre. Despite finishing more than three minutes down on Bardet, race leader Tadej Pogačar and his UAE Team Emirates squad maintained control over their closest rivals in the General Classification (GC).
The victory marked a significant moment for Paret-Peintre, who expressed his elation at achieving his first pro win and battling alongside riders he once idolized, like Bardet.
“To be honest, I can’t describe what I feel now. It’s just amazing,” Paret-Peintre said. “I watched Bardet when I was young, when he finished on the podium at the Tour de France. I dreamt by seeing him on TV and today I battled with him and beat him.”
Pogačar, meanwhile, adopted a strategic approach, allowing the breakaway group to stay away while focusing on maintaining control over the GC contenders. With a three-minute lead over his closest rival, Dani Martinez of Bora-Hansgrohe, Pogačar emphasized the importance of patience and focus in a Grand Tour.
“We let the break go away, so we could ride at our own pace. Other teams worked, and then Bahrain Victorious worked in the final; it was perfect for us,” Pogačar explained. “I know we’ve got to be patient in a Grand Tour; it’s about 21 days of racing, so we’ve got to stay focused on the big stages and go day by day.”
Stage 10 provided a thrilling spectacle, with riders pushing their limits on the challenging ascent to Bocca della Selva. Paret-Peintre’s victory underscored the unpredictable nature of the Giro d’Italia and the determination of riders to seize their moment of glory amidst the grueling mountain stages.
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