Gallery
Taking Another G18-15
In an interview after Stage 2, Elia Viviani (Quick Step) said that after winning that stage, all of the pressure was off of him. However, it didn't mean he was done trying to win stages. Again, he had to come from behind a sprinter who had launched first. And again, he had the legs to take the victory, making it two out of two road stages. Having gone first, Sam Bennett (Bora Hansgrohe) had to settle with third on the day with Sacha Modolo (EF Education First-Drapac) nipping him at the line for second. Jens Debusschere (Lotto Soudal - or Lotto Fix-All for the Giro) managed sixth and Baptiste Planckaert (Katusha-Alpecin) crossed the final line in Israel in eight.
I was concerned when I heard that the Giro would be racing in Israel, but it went beautifully and safely. It was a great success, and I am now looking forward to seeing the peloton back on Italian soil.