Daniel Felipe Martínez (Bora Hansgrohe) is just hours away from finishing on the podium for the first time in one of the big three of cycling. The 28-year-old Soachuno rider defended himself this Friday in the penultimate stage of the Giro d’Italia and He managed to secure second place in the general classification.
In a fraction of 157 kilometers, which the Italian cyclist Andrea Vendrame (Decathlon AG2R) ended up winning, Martínez managed to enter in 23rd place, with the same time as the winner of the day and the two men with whom the Colombian hopes to share the celebration on Sunday in Rome: the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates) and the British Geraint Thomas (Ineos), who today are first and third respectively.
In a new battle on the mountain, Martínez reaffirmed what he said in the press conference before this third week: ‘You have to run with a cool head.’ Intelligently, and in the midst of a natural wear of the peloton, Martínez did not make unnecessary efforts and remained in the group of race leaders.
In fact, when Geraint Thomas—his biggest rival in the competition—fell with six kilometers to go, Martínez did not seek to take advantage of the situation. And now, in the midst of anticipation for the high mountain battle in the penultimate stage, your reactionshared with Tadej Pogacar and other members of the group, is highlighted by cycling fans.
(In detail: Giro d’Italia 2024 | Classifications after stage 19: this is how the Colombian cyclists are doing).
Martínez wins the praise in the Giro d’Italia
Daniel Felipe Martínez
Photo:Fedeciclismo
As seen in the broadcast of the race, the Briton was the victim of a ‘sharpener’ (collision of a front tire with the rear of another bicycle) and fell to the ground.
Then, he would have had problems with his chain but he finally recovered after attention that lasted several seconds.
In that period, in which some would have taken the opportunity to make differences, Daniel Felipe Martínez and Tadej Pogacar slowed down and waited for the Ineos man.
“A demonstration of fair play”, “It’s a great gesture” and “That’s sportsmanship”, are some of the comments that shine on social networks.
(You may be interested: They reveal a clue that would bury the illusion of Millonarios: Falcao closed a mega deal with Egan Bernal, in Bogotá).
‘It is not necessary to attack when an opponent falls’: Pogacar
Tadej Pogacar
Photo:EFE
The UAE rider, who is more than seven minutes ahead of Daniel Felipe Martínez in the general classification, highlighted that it was demonstrated that “everyone respects everyone.”
“It is not necessary to attack when an opponent falls. Nobody wanted to overtake Thomas like that, so I hope he’s okay after the accident“, declared Pogacar.
“If I have an opportunity I will take advantage of it. Today we were very conservative with the team, no one spent too much energy and tomorrow is the last day of this Giro for us climbers,” said the race leader.
Regarding how he imagines his last victory of the day in the first major of the year, Pogacar was accurate: “The best victory is when you arrive alone, but you never know. Maybe tomorrow someone will be stronger than me, but we will try anyway “.
Martínez, for his part, will seek to maintain the difference of 22 seconds who maintains over Thomas and arrives in second place at the final stage in the Italian capital.
In generalEiner Rubio (Movistar) He is eighth, 13 minutes and 33 seconds behind Pogacar. Nairo Quintanaalso from Movistar, is in 18th place, at 44 minutes and 52 seconds.
LAST NEWS
