The Lake Garda was the setting for an exciting stage of the Giro d’Italia, where Filippo Ganna claimed victory in the individual time trial. The 14th stage, covering a distance of 31.2 kilometers, started in Castiglione delle Stiviere and finished in Desenzano del Garda.
With a time of 35 minutes and 2 seconds, Filippo Ganna of Ineos Grenadiers dominated the race, leaving the current pink jersey holder Tadej Pogacar behind. Visibly moved after the finish, Ganna told Rai microphones, “It’s never easy to win, but you can find the energy within when things aren’t going well. Pogacar is a great champion, and I worked hard to beat him this week.”
The time trial from Castiglione delle Stiviere to Desenzano del Garda featured a hilly course that tested the cyclists. After the start in Castiglione, the participants crossed the Virgilian stretch to Pozzolengo before entering the province of Brescia. This segment included the Colli Storici, a strategic area that may have greatly influenced the outcome of the race.
Along the route, numerous people gathered to support their favorite riders. Among these spectators was Gianni Rinetti, a 78-year-old cyclist who rode through the Brescia territories from Valcamonica to Desenzano to witness the event. Additionally, Antonello Masini, uncle of Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs and a cycling enthusiast, was present in the crowd to enjoy the show.
The time trial began at 13:20 in Castiglione delle Stiviere, with the last riders expected to start around 16:00. This stage represented the second individual time trial in the program of the 107th Giro d’Italia and took place one week after the one between Foligno and Perugia won by Tadej Pogacar.
The riders had to face various technical challenges along the hilly course between Mantova and Brescia. The choice of gears on the bicycles proved crucial in the different sections of the race. Despite the initial controversy surrounding the organization of the event in Pozzolengo, everything was resolved positively with the location ready to welcome the athletes.
Italian Version
