00:01Il Giro arriva in Italia dopo 3 giorni in Bulgaria,
00:05filled con grandi grandi luci e grande entità.
00:10Il pink race resumisce dal Calabria,
00:13heading north along the entire peninsula.
00:15Following this sprint victory by Paul Magnier,
00:18the riders return to Italy
00:19and yesterday enjoy a well-deserved rest day in Catanzaro.
00:24Cycling fans are ready to flood the roads
00:26to welcome the Giro
00:27and cheer for Guillermo Tomas Silva,
00:29the Uruguayan rider who, after winning Stage 2,
00:32is living his dream in the pink jersey.
00:49Calabria takes center stage in Stage 4,
00:51a route rich in history.
00:53The race starts in Catanzaro,
00:54the city of two seas,
00:56overlooking both the Tyrrhenian and Ionian coasts,
00:59founded by the Greeks
01:00and later ruled by the Romans and Byzantines.
01:03Traces of these civilizations are still preserved today
01:06in the National Archaeological Park.
01:08From the inland hills,
01:09the route moves towards the Tyrrhenian coast,
01:11finishing after 138 kilometers in Cosenza,
01:15a former Roman colony now dominated by its striking Norman castle.
01:19A short stage and on paper one for the sprinters,
01:22but the fast men will have to dig deep to contest the final sprint.
01:26It will be, I think, quite a stressy day with the winds.
01:29And now the Giro really started in Italy and today can be a stage that can finish with the spring,
01:36so I try to be focused and we hope for the best.
01:40The first 80 kilometers are mostly flat, but after the intermediate sprint in San Luchido,
01:46the road kicks up towards Cozzotuno.
01:48It's a 14.5 kilometer climb from the finish,
01:51yet gradients reaching 11% could shatter the ambitions of some riders.
01:56After a long descent, the race heads into Cosenza,
01:58where a slight uphill finish will crown the winner.
02:01Jonathan Milan, second and fourth in previous sprints,
02:04is chasing redemption.
02:06But he'll have to face Paul Marnier, the top favorite.
02:09I prefer to arrive here with some better results,
02:13but I'm happy.
02:15Today we have a great competitive stage.
02:24The race barely gets underway before the battle to form the breakaway ignites.
02:32After five intense kilometers of attacks and counterattacks,
02:36the peloton finally eases, allowing a group to break free.
02:40A warm 23 degrees and bright sunshine welcome the Giro's first stage in Italian soil.
02:46But it quickly becomes clear there's another far less welcome protagonist.
02:50Strong winds.
02:55Six riders decide to take on the relentless headwind.
02:58Darren Rafferty, Johan Jacobs, Warren Barguil, Nicolas Larsson,
03:03and Italians Mattia Baez and Martin Martellussi.
03:06A very different scenario compared to the previous days.
03:09The breakaway quickly builds a two-minute advantage, forcing the peloton into pursuit.
03:16The Calabrian stage delivers breathtaking scenery.
03:19The Giro Caravan climbs along the Tyrrhenian coast,
03:22as crosswinds grow stronger and more unpredictable.
03:25Meanwhile, massive crowds line the road,
03:28welcoming the riders with applause and banners.
03:39The race continues at a fast pace through the province of Cosenza.
03:43While in the bunch, the teams of the general classification riders move up.
03:47At the intermediate sprint in San Lucido,
03:49Mattia Baez crosses the line smoothly in first position.
03:53And that makes tactical sense as well,
03:55because of course his teammate is leading that classification.
03:57The first road gets to the number 171.
04:03Pais!
04:08Yet there's little time to celebrate,
04:10because the climb of Cozzotuno is literally around the corner.
04:14The first climb to the Grand Benna mountain of Cozzotuno.
04:1914.4km with gradients peaking at 11%,
04:23could prove fatal for some of the riders.
04:24As soon as the road begins to rise, the Movistar team launches a sharp acceleration, and many sprinters feel the
04:31consequences.
04:36Magnier, Milan and their colleagues lose contact with the peloton, but they're not the only ones.
04:42Even pink jersey Guillermo Tomas Silva has to concede to the frantic pace.
04:47Rafferty and Baez are the last of the breakaway riders to resist the powerful comeback of a group that is
04:52shedding more and more riders.
04:54Yet, they're still 50 kilometers to the finish and the surprises are not over.
04:58At the top of the Cozzotuno climb, there is no sprint for the GPM points.
05:03The bunch, led by Movistar, continues its advance.
05:18And now, the long descent begins. The riders who've lost contact will have to launch themselves downhill at full speed
05:24in order to recover ground.
05:26But for the pink jersey Guillermo Tomas Silva, already nearly six minutes down, it will be an almost impossible task.
05:34In this stage, there's no moment to catch your breath.
05:38At the Red Bull KM, the GC contenders make their move, chasing valuable bonus seconds.
05:43But it's going to be close. Jan Christen crosses the line in first place. A little bit of a complaint
05:48there.
05:48Jan Christen is the first to pass, ahead of Giulio Pellizzari and Giulio Ciccone.
05:56The Movistar team immediately takes control of the race again, setting a high pace as the riders head towards the
06:01finish.
06:04Jan Christen tries to surprise the peloton, but nothing is guaranteed on a stage full of twists.
06:10It's not just a stage win at stake, the pink jersey is also on the line.
06:17Luis, look at Naváez. Naváez is very fast in this group.
06:21The finishing arch, Christen holding onto his precious advantage.
06:26And it's Aular who opens up the sprint. Aular with Ciccone and Naváez.
06:31Aular holding off the Italian final, pushing for the line.
06:34Naváez, the UAE rider, coming with a charge.
06:37But it's Aular who's going to hold them off.
06:40Movistar take it, win. Aular, it's going to be close on the line. Naváez with a charge.
06:47It's a thrilling finale in Cosenza. Christen is caught with just 300 meters to go.
06:53And then his teammate Jonathan Naváez launches his sprint.
06:57The Ecuadorian, born in 1997, riding for the UAE Team Emirates XRG, claims his third Giro stage win, delivering a
07:05victory that tastes like redemption for his team.
07:07Because my brother was also a pro cyclist. And the reason is because this animal can eat really fast, no?
07:14One guy, something in the jungle.
07:18And like today, when I saw the finish line, I just took it.
07:21Second place goes to Orluis Aular while Giulio Ciccone finishes third.
07:25Thanks to the bonus seconds, Ciccone takes the pink jersey, fulfilling a lifelong dream.
07:30I think that every athlete passes from high and low.
07:33I have to say that with the Giro, I've had many difficult moments, and at the same time, many beautiful
07:39moments.
07:43The last Italian to wear the leader's jersey was Diego Ulissi at the 2025 Giro.
07:49Tomorrow, a new challenge awaits the peloton.
07:51The 203-kilometer stage from Praia Mare to Potenza is packed with difficulties and could favor attackers.
07:58The riders will face a total elevation gain of 4,100 meters.
08:03The Prestieri climb comes after just 30 kilometers.
08:06But the key point will be the ascent of Montagna Grande di Vigiano.
08:106.6 kilometers at an average of 9.1%, with ramps reaching 15%.
08:16The summit comes with around 50 kilometers to go.
08:19But the road to Potenza remains far from easy.
08:22Stork and Bernal.
08:23The gaps are minimal and everything could still change.
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