First Grand Tour stage win for Italian
Saturday 28 May, 2022
Alessandro Covi took the biggest win of his young career by soloing to an impressive victory on Stage 20 of the Giro D’Italia from Belluno to Marmolada (Passo Fedaia) (168km).
The 23-year old gave the Emirati squad reason for celebration as he went clear from long range at 53km to go, from a numerous breakaway which also contained Davide Formolo.
The man from Taino, Italy pulled out a big gap as the group behind stalled, with Formolo’s teamwork interrupting any serious chase.
His closest rival was Domen Novak (Bahrain-Victorius) who went in pursuit of Covi but could not get near the flying ‘Puma’.
On his way to victory Covi also picked up the prestigious prize of the ‘Cima Coppi’ for the first rider over the crest of the Passo Pordoi the highest point of this years Giro D’Italia.
Covi : “I had a chance in these last three stages and I wanted to take a stage home. It was the teams objective to win a stage since we sadly lost Almeida with illness and we can leave the Giro on a happier note. I attacked from far out, I’m not a real climber so I thought I had to take an advantage on the others before the climb and in the end it worked out right. When I was on my own I went full gas and pushed on without worrying about the legs, although I’m glad the line came when it did as cramps were on the way. I did the best I could and I got there in the end.”
The Giro comes to an end tomorrow in Verona with a 17.4km time trial.
