Planche des Belles Filles 2.0: Ganna seemed set to win Giro time trial, but then Pogacar pulls off something (nearly) impossible

After six 'regular' stages, the Giro d'Italia introduced a challenging individual time trial. A grueling 40.8 kilometers awaited the riders, set in the picturesque Tuscany from Foligno to Perugia, featuring a steep climb towards the end at Casaglia. The initial 1.3 kilometers of this climb had a daunting incline of 11.8 percent, providing a stark contrast to the preceding 32 flat kilometers. The climb totaled 6.5 kilometers with an average gradient of 4.0 percent.

In the battle for the stage win, attention was on the pure sprinters like Filippo Ganna, and also on the climbers. The differences in the fight for the pink jersey were bound to increase significantly post-time trial. Especially for adept time trialists like Tadej Pogacar and Geraint Thomas, who had strong prospects but started later in the afternoon. The first to go was Julius van den Berg, but he was quickly overtaken by Ryan Mullen of BORA-hansgrohe.

An interesting note: the Giro organizers provided a designated change zone for bike swaps, which was positioned right after the second checkpoint. Riders opting for a bike change had to adhere to strict regulations. "Bikes must be pre-set in the zone and will be inspected by the commissioners. Riders may be helped back into motion for a maximum of 25 meters, which will be monitored," the jury explained. This setup promised some interesting tactical plays.

From the start, it was clear the first corner was treacherous, with several riders, including Tobias Lund Andresen, crashing there early on. Early starters Josef Cerny and Daan Hoole were quick, temporarily taking the hot seat. Yet, the real contenders were yet to start.

And when it comes to heavyweights, Filippo Ganna is a prime example. Despite an early mishap with an inattentive fan, the Italian star from INEOS Grenadiers was unfazed, overtaking one rider after another. Ganna was relentless both on the flat sections and on the climb, catching up to riders who started a whopping eight minutes before him! He finished with a blistering time of 52.01, significantly faster than others like Mikkel Bjerg and Lorenzo Milesi.

INEOS Grenadiers showcased their depth, with strong performances not just from Ganna but also from teammates like Magnus Sheffield and Thymen Arensman. Sheffield finished in 52.33, slightly slower than Ganna, while Arensman posted a time of 52.44, making significant moves up the leaderboard.

Attention then turned to other GC contenders. Antonio Tiberi of Bahrain Victorious was particularly impressive, recording a time of 53.05. Romain Bardet also delivered a strong performance, better than expected, with 54.34. Maximilian Schachmann, though not a typical GC contender, performed exceptionally well, clocking 52.49.

The final part of the day was reserved for the top classification contenders. Ben O'Connor lost some time early but recovered well in the second half. Luke Plapp and Alexey Lutsenko had mixed performances, while for Lorenzo Fortunato, Jan Hirt and Juan Pedro Lopez, this was a day they'll want to forget about as soon as possible.

Cian Uijtdebroeks struggled from the outset, as did Daniel Felipe Martinez. The anticipated small gap between Tadej Pogacar and Geraint Thomas was confirmed as they were close throughout, but far behind Ganna, who seemed to virtually have the win in his pocket after the first checkpoint. However, Pogacar miraculously turned the tables on the final climb, making up 47 seconds and clinching the win, thereby crushing Ganna's already outstanding climb. Thomas, conversely, struggled and lost significant time.

Final times of the top contenders were as follows: Pogacar: 51.44, Ganna: 52.01, Sheffield: 52.33, Arensman: 52.44, Schachmann: 52.49, Tiberi: 53.05, Plapp: 53.29, Martinez: 53.33, Bjerg: 53.40, Thomas: 53.44, O'Connor: 53.51, Milesi: 53.56, Lusenko: 54.07, Hoole: 54.16, Uijtdebroeks: 54.39. View the complete results here.