Afonso Eulálio held onto the Maglia Rosa after stage 8 of the Giro d’Italia, completing another day in pink from Chieti to Fermo as Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) took the stage win.
Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility) finished second, 32 seconds behind, with Martin Tjøtta (Uno-X Mobility) completing the podium.
The 156km stage started with a flatter first part towards the Adriatic coast, before the race turned inland and became harder in the final kilometres around Fermo. The last part of the stage included short climbs, narrow roads, corners and several changes of rhythm, so it was important to stay well placed until the finish.
The stage was not easy to control, with many attacks during the day, especially on the flatter roads. A large breakaway eventually went clear before the final hilly section, but with no major GC danger in the move, the team focused on keeping the gap under control and protecting Eulálio in the peloton.
Those final climbs opened small gaps between the GC riders, so the stage was not only about the fight for the win. Eulálio finished the day limiting the time lost to Jonas Vingegaard (Visma – Lease a Bike) and the other GC contenders, while keeping the Maglia Rosa ahead of another hard stage tomorrow.
In the last kilometres, Eulálio stayed close to the front with Damiano Caruso by his side. He also moved up in the final, showing confidence on a finish that suited him, while still keeping the main focus on defending the Maglia Rosa.
Afonso after the stage said:
“A day like today suits me well. I enjoy this kind of terrain, and the team did a perfect job again to protect the jersey. Damiano was there with me in the final, we checked the last kilometres well, and everything was under control.
I moved a little in the final, but it was not really an attack. It was more to stay in front before the corners and avoid problems. The most important thing for us was to keep the Maglia Rosa and not lose too much time in a final like this. We did that, and the team was perfect again.
Tomorrow will be another hard day, and the main goal is to survive again. When I see the whole team working like this, the riders, the staff, the directors, it gives me more confidence and more power. My teammates are probably suffering more than me because they are doing everything for me, and that is something special. Normally I am more used to working for others, so to see them working to protect me is crazy.
First, we have to try to keep the jersey tomorrow. After that, the time trial will be very difficult for me. It is flat, with no corners and no climbs, so it is not the best course for me. We will see what happens after that and then decide if we continue fighting for GC, for stages, or what is best for the team.”
Franco Pellizotti, Sports Director, added:
“It was a hard stage to control because there were many attacks during the day, especially in the flatter part of the stage. Then, before the final hilly section, a big breakaway went clear. There were no big GC dangers in the move, although Scaroni was there, but the gap was always under control.
The riders did an amazing job again today to manage the breakaway and protect the jersey. In the end, I think it was a perfect stage for Afonso. There were no long climbs, but many short efforts in the final, and he handled it very well.
He also moved well in the final, maybe because he is enjoying the jersey and this kind of finish. But the important thing is that we are here with another day in the Maglia Rosa, and we are very happy. Tomorrow will be a new day.”
Eulálio remains in the Maglia Rosa and also keeps the white jersey, with another difficult stage coming tomorrow before the first rest day.
