Ben Healy may not have won the stage at Tour of Slovenia today but it wasn't for the want of trying on a day when he and his EF Education-EasyPost team mate, Archie Ryan, were the main aggressors in the final.
Ryan went to the front on the final climb of the day and put in a huge effort, shredding the field with Healy on his wheel as the peloton was very quickly whittled down to a select group of the strongest in the race.
Healy took it up a little later with several efforts, and though a number of riders were up to the challenge of hanging in as they were put on the ropes by the Irish duo, Healy has still moved up the general classification ahead of tomorrow's summit finish queen stage.
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The main action from the two Irishmen came on the last climb on the 160km stage from Ljubljana to Nova Gorica. That ascent of 5.5km, averaging 5.6 per cent, was crested some 10km from the finish.
?? Premio doble para Giovanni Aleotti en el Tour de Eslovenia
➡️ Etapa y liderato para el italiano
El triunfo más importante de su carrera#TourOfSlovenia pic.twitter.com/of7VHe0Tg2
— Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) June 14, 2024
Ryan went to the front almost immediately the road kicked up, setting a relentless pace for about 2km and doing serious damage. As the front reach reached the upper section of the climb, Healy took over and pressed hard.
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That proved the end of Ryan's presence at the front for the day, as he slipped back into a large chasing group. Up front, Healy pressed clear with only Jhonatan Narváez (Ineos Grenadiers) for company.
However, as the two main general classification dangermen, they were not given much leeway by the others just behind, including Pello Bilbao (Bahrain-Victorious). Up and over the top of the climb there was a regrouping, with 12 riders in that lead group.
Though Healy tried several times in the final 10km, it was Giovanni Aleott (Bora-hansgrohe) whose aggression proved the most effective. He attacked on the descent and managed to build a gap of well over 20 seconds on the group at one point.
And though the chasers managed to narrow the gap on the Italian before the finish, he stayed clear for a brilliant win. Healy was in the 11-man chasing group, 11 seconds back. That group was led in by the impressive Narváez, who took another six bonus seconds in the process.
That time gains, coupled with some other bonuses Narváez has already taken, now puts him in a good position overall, including seven seconds up on Healy.
Thanks to his win today, Aleott now leads the race overall ahead of tomorrow's summit finish. He is 12 seconds up on Narváez. Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies) is 3rd overall at 19 seconds, with Healy 4th at 19 seconds.
However, with the top 11 overall all within 21 seconds of the race lead, the general classification is wide open. The smart money says it could be a two-horse race between Narváez and Healy, but others - including Bilboa and Aleott - will also likely have their say over the next two days.
After pulling for Healy today, Ryan finished 36th, in a group at 1:29, and is now 30th at 1:39. He may yet prove one of the strongest tomorrow, and move higher in the general classification, though the team is clearly putting its collective effort behind Healy.
