Giro d'Italia 2024

Pogacar extends lead with individual time trial victory!

Tadej Pogacar

(Bild: AFP)

Top favorite Tadej Pogacar has won the first individual time trial at the Giro d'Italia with a strong finish!

The 25-year-old Slovenian celebrated his second stage win in this year's Tour of Italy on Friday on the 40.6-kilometer seventh stage from Foligno to Perugia and extended his lead in the overall standings. The UAE star won 17 seconds ahead of two-time time trial world champion Filippo Ganna and 49 seconds ahead of US pro Magnus Sheffield (both Ineos). This puts Pogacar in the pink jersey a comfortable 2:36 minutes ahead of the Colombian Daniel Felipe Martinez (Bora), who finished eighth. The day's loser was Geraint Thomas (Ineos) in tenth place, the 37-year-old Welshman slipped back to third overall (+2:46).

Kepplinger best Austrian
The best Austrian in the first of two individual time trials at this year's edition was Rainer Kepplinger. The Upper Austrian from the Bahrain team finished in 29th place, 3:26 minutes behind the leader.

The stage was predominantly flat until the second time trial at race kilometer 34, followed by a 6.6 kilometer long fourth category climb up to the finish. Due to his large deficit in the overall standings, Ganna went into the time chase early on and set a clear best time on the asphalt. Pogacar completed the time trial and was still 47 seconds behind Ganna on the flat section. However, the two-time Tour de France winner delivered another demonstration of power on the climbs.

On Saturday, 152 kilometers and 3658 vertical meters await the riders. The eighth stage from Spoleto up to the Prati di Tivo ski resort ends with a 14.7-kilometre climb, where there will probably be further changes in the overall standings.

The result of stage 5:
1st Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE 51:44 min.
2nd Filippo Ganna (ITA) Ineos +17 sec.
3rd Magnus Sheffield (USA) Ineos +49
Further:
8. Daniel Felipe Martinez (COL) Bora +1:49 min.
10th Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos +2:00
29th Rainer Kepplinger (AUT) Bahrain +3:26
60th Tobias Bayer (AUT) Alpecin +5:14
62nd Patrick Gamper (AUT) Bora +5:15
115th Felix Großschartner (AUT) UAE +6:58

The overall standings:
1st Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE 24:12:36 hrs.
2nd Daniel Felipe Martinez (COL) Bora +2:36 min.
3rd Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos +2:46
Further:
62nd Felix Großschartner (AUT) UAE +30:02
75th Rainer Kepplinger (AUT) Bahrain +43:04
98th Patrick Gamper (AUT) Bora +52:57
112th Tobias Bayer (AUT) Alpecin +57:17