2021 Giro d’Italia stage 7: Caleb Ewan scores second win in three days with long-range, uphill sprint

Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Sodal) scored his second win in three days, after a frenetic, flat finale on stage 7 of the 2021 Giro d’Italia.

The “Pocket Rocket” opened from 400 meters out, forced by an early move by Fernando Gaviria (UAE-Team Emirates).

“I knew it would be a good finish for me. It was a super hard finish and I had to go deep to win today. My legs were absolutely burning,” Ewan said.

https://twitter.com/giroditalia/status/1393241108524711942

The 181-kilometer coastal route from Notaresco to Termoli was relatively flat, with just some elevation change in the middle of the stage. The final quarter of the route and the flat run-in was into a block headwind.

For his early efforts, Gaviria scored a 6th, while Italian David Cimolai (Israel Start-Up Nation) and Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix) rounded out the stage podium.

This was a win of sorts for Merlier who with 10km to go had to be brought back to the front after an unplanned nature break.

Three-times world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) was lurking in the top 10 wheels before the sprint opened up, however with no openings to launch a sprint, the Slovakian’s attempts to create space to sprint were thwarted — he looked sure to topple at one point — and he could only manage 14th on the day.

There was no change to the GC, with Attila Valter (Groupama-FDJ) leading Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck-Quick-Step), and Egan Bernal (Ineos-Grenadiers).

“I felt a different rider with this jersey,” said Valter. “When people were applauding the pink jersey, I had to pinch myself to realize that it was really me.”

🇭🇺 @ValterAttila is the new Maglia Rosa!

🇭🇺 @ValterAttila è la nuova Maglia Rosa!#Giro pic.twitter.com/ZH6Y4KzZGA

— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 13, 2021

How it happened

A break of three — Simon Pellaud (Androni Giacattoli-Sidermec), Mark Christian (Eolo Kometa), and Umberto Marengo (Bardoni-CSF) — were off the front until just 17km remaining in the stage.

Throughout the day, teams exchange the workload to keep control of the escapees, with breakaway artist Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) doing the lion’s share of the work on the front, planning for a fast finish for teammate Ewan.

The three-man group advantage fluctuated between three and a half minutes and a minute until 35km to go.

Into the final 20km, the pursuers brought the speed over 51kph through roundabouts and narrow streets.

When the break was caught at 17km, sprinters’ teams were lining up on the front, jostling for space with the teams protecting their GC favorites in the safest position in the field.

Elia Viviani (Cofidis) was escorted to near the front, as well as Dylan Groenewegen (Jumbo-Visma) Sagan, Ewan, Gaviria, and Merlier after his emergency nature break.

The next 8km was lead by domestiques drilling the pace on the front, anticipating the uphill, technical section between 3.5km and 1.5km to go.

A roundabout at 4km to go disrupted several of the sprint trains on the front of the race, but Bora-Hansgrohe and Lotto-Soudal looked to keep things relatively together.

As the speed continued to increase in the final kilometer, Sagan — now without the protection offered by the tall Daniel Oss — lurked behind Lotto-Soudal and UAE-Team Emirates.

Into the final 600m, Gaviria started to wind up, and Ewan responded and opened up his move at 400m.

With the Colombian sprinter fading, Ewan opened up his sprint and took his second win in three days.

What’s to come

Saturday’s stage 8 is another lumpy route over 171 kilometers. Racers will navigate over two unrated climbs — the first peaking at 35km, and the second cresting at 87km — immediately followed by a cat2 climb through 121km. After the ascent to Bocca della Selva, the final climb of the stage finishes atop an 11km incline to Guardia Sanframondi.