Ireland's Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) has put in another aggressive display at Coppi e Bartalia to nudge his way up the general standings. He is now within striking distance of making the final podium with just one day of racing remaining.
The 22-year-old, who won yesterday's stage 3 in a three-up sprint, was today among a five-man select group, comprised of the strongest riders in the race, chasing down lone leader Alexis Guerin (Bingoal WB) as the finish approached.
Guerin had originally been in a 17-rider breakaway that went clear some 45km into the 159.9km stage starting and finishing in Fiorano Modenese. Guerin got clear of the group solo with just under 100km remaining and rode the rest of the stage alone for a brilliant win. He finished just three seconds up on the five-man chasing group.
Advertisement
Those chasers, including Healy, got clear of the remains of the main field with just 11km to go. And while they very nearly caught Guerin, he was a deserving stage winner today.
Related News
Healy began the day 7th overall, some 38 seconds behind race leader Mauro Schmid (Soudal-QuickStep), and is now 6th with just tomorrow's final TT to come. However, Schmid won the sprint for 2nd place today, just three seconds down on the stage winner.
That meant the Swiss rider took a six-second time bonus, adding a little to his advantage over his nearest rivals going into the pan flat 18.6km TT in Carpi tomorrow. Healy's team mate, James Shaw, was 3rd today and collected a four-second bonus, moving up one place to 2nd overall some 14 seconds behind leader Schmid.
Also in the chasing group today was last year's Tour de l'Avenir runner-up, Johannes Staune-Mittet (Jumbo-Visma Development Team), who was 4th, as well as yesterday's runner-up to Healy, Domenico Pozzovivo (Israel-Premier Tech), who finished 5th. Healy finished last man of the chasing group, placing 6th on the stage.
With Schmid now leading overall by 14 seconds from Shaw, Walter Calzoni and Gianluca Brambilla (both Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) are 3rd and 4th, at 28 and 35 seconds respectively. Then comes Pozzovivo - in 5th at 43 seconds - followed by Healy in 6th at 44 seconds.
Schmid, Shaw and Healy are the strongest TT rides of those in the top 6 going into the final stage. There is a strong possibility that trio will make up the final podium when the TT concludes proceedings tomorrow, though in what order remains to be seen.
