Carapaz -5th in Crevalcore- sails towards provisional GC podium in Italy
24 March 2018

Settimana Coppi e Bartali (st. 3)

Ecuadorian rider from Movistar Team joins Rafa Valls into selected front group against crosswinds at 'Coppi e Bartali'; jumps onto third overall before decisive ITT.

Crosswinds might have played an unexpected, massive factor towards the end result of the 2018 Settimana Coppi e Bartali, with Richard Carapaz (Movistar Team) now holder of a GC podium place. The Ecuadorian youngster rode wisely into the splits formed on the final three laps of a flat, nervous circuit in and around Crevalcore (171km), supported by Spaniard Rafa Valls into a 40-rider first echelon out of three different groups.

A crash with three kilometers remaining, which again split the front bunch and left just 23 riders in the lead, did not hold up the two Blues and made for an even more restricted sprint, where Carapaz sought for the win and finished in 5th spot, behind winner Chris Lawless (SKY). Richard won three places up in the standings due to the time gaps in the end, his 38″ deficit to local Diego Rosa (SKY) now only bested by second-placed Bauke Mollema (TFS).

The ‘Coppi e Bartali’ will be decided with a 12.5km ITT on Sunday, finishing atop the Montegibbio castle after 2.2km of climbing with final slopes around 12%. There, Carapaz will aim at a podium he’s shown over the week he really deserves.