The change of plans of 'Superman' López in the Giro

[Akrapovic]

His team, Astana, will not relinquish the role.

Well the fight for the title of the Tour of Italy for the Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez is history and in the end of the podium is difficult to get, there are still clear objectives for him: climb in the general, win stages and reissue what has been done Last year in this race, be the best young man.

They are secondary bets, if it is understood that he reached the Giro of 2019 to fight for the podium, and although it has not been lost, it is difficult.
The decision of the Giro that harms 'Superman' López
Classifications of the Giro d'Italia, after stage 14
'Superman' López, sixth in the stage and recovered his way in the Giro


The race is not over, there is a week, three days with a high end and one more with a mountain, so the Astana team runner has the option of continuing to fight, but not because of the objectives with which he reached the Giro .

The Boyacá cyclist had mechanical problems at key moments and could not overcome them. He punctured the front wheel in the 34km time trial, eight days ago, and last Friday, in the stage with arrival in the first category mountain prize, a mechanical breakdown prevented him from continuing with his rivals: Primoz Roglic, Vincenzo Nibali, Rafal Majka, Richard Carapaz.

It is clear that when you come to a test like the Giro, you have to be one hundred percent and wait until the 'black cat' is crossed, but the 25-year-old from Boyacá has not had luck, as he has had problems in the moments less indicated.

With Roglic, Lopez was 4 minutes, 29 seconds after the chronometer of 34 kilometers, and although on Thursday he flew, showed that he was in good condition and deducted 28 seconds; the next day, that mechanical problem conditioned him to lose with Roglic in the general 5 minutes, 13 seconds.

The podium is difficult, unless in that comeback six of the riders who are ahead of him lose time, retire, have a bad day: perhaps one or the other, but all is very complicated.

"We still have many difficult days ahead. There is a whole third week. We will see it, "said the Astana cyclist.

The fight for the young man is with Pavel Sivakov, the Russian of the Ineos, of 21 years, who is a complete runner. This Monday, there is rest in the Giro, competition that will resume on Tuesday in a stretch of 226 km, with the passage through the Mortirolo, 27 kilometers from the arrival.

A pity that the climb to the Gavia, the roof of the Giro, was canceled due to bad weather. The next day, there will be a third-class finish, but before passing two third-class mountain prizes.

The mountain will return on Friday, with 151 km, with prizes of mountain of third and fourth category, but one of second in the goal.

Saturday will be the last opportunity for Lopez to aspire to partial victory and accommodate in the general. The fraction will be 194 kilometers, with five mountainous passages: three of second and two of first, the last in the arrival.

Undoubtedly, this Tour of Italy is in the hands of the Slovenian Primoz Roglic, but what is not clear is the podium, because he will fight Vincenzo Nibali, who still has the hope of winning his third title.

This Sunday, more mountain, in less proportion than Friday and Saturday, with the stage between Ivrea and Como, of 232 km, with three steps, two of second and one of third.