As Tadej Pogačar stormed towards the finish line in Perugia and his latest victory in stage 7 of the Giro d’Italia, one of the day’s more heartwarming moments came courtesy of Luke Plapp (Jayco-AIUIa), watching the finale with provisional stage leader Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers).
As Ganna’s seemingly all-but-certain victory remorselessly slipped out of his grasp, Plapp put his arm around his former teammate to try to comfort the Italian, the Australian's own success at claiming the lead in the best young rider classification put aside briefly, and movingly.
While Ganna then headed for his team bus after coming agonisingly close to taking the victory, Plapp went on to share the day’s honours with Pogačar on the winner’s podium.
As the Australian put it later, while still sorry for Ganna and his near-miss, he was also delighted that what had been his own, key pre-race target - taking the white jersey at the end of the first week - had become a reality at Perugia. “After this,” Plapp said, “everything from now on is a bonus.”
“I had a bit of a goal to myself in the Giro first week to try and stay in and around GC in the first week, and try and target the best young rider’s jersey in the time trial,” Plapp told reporters.
“It’s all worked out perfectly. I’m super-happy and now, anything after today is a massive bonus. I honestly didn’t really think of anything after today in the Giro in terms of all these months of preparation. I just wanted to get the first week right.
“This is everything I could have hoped for. I’m definitely going to enjoy tonight and then just try my hardest for the rest of the Giro.”
Third in stage 6 on Thursday after a very long breakaway through the Tuscan sterrato, the double Australian National ITT champion still had enough fuel left in the tank to place seventh at 1:45 on Pogačar in the time trial Friday on the roads of neighbouring region of Umbria. In the process, he moved up fifth overall at 3:42.
Plapp is now just eight seconds ahead of previous youth classification leader Cian Uijtdebroeks (Visma-Lease a Bike). But regardless of the gaps, the main thing, as Plapp said, is that his goal of a day in white in the Giro d'Italia had been achieved.
“I didn’t feel sharp after stage 6, but I didn’t feel bad,” Plapp said. “It was more of just a carry-on from yesterday [Thursday], that was four hours at threshold and today was another hour at threshold.
“I didn’t feel like I had that real sharpness to go to another level when I needed to, but I didn’t drop off. If it had been a one-off TT, I would have had my normal punchier legs, but I’m not too disappointed. It wasn’t great but it wasn’t terrible and to finish with the jersey is awesome.”
In terms of pacing strategy on a complicated TT day, culminating in a stiff cat 4 ascent in the closing kilometres and on a course buffeted by strong winds, Plapp said, “I was always wanted to hold back some for the climb, but I probably didn’t want to hold back that much.
“I was probably a little bit under what I was looking for, but that could have been because of what I felt yesterday," he added.
“If it was a one-out TT, I’d probably have had a bit more, but on the other hand if this was the World Championships or the Olympics then you’re never going to do four hours full gas the previous day, are you?
“I definitely felt that in the legs, but on the climb I wasn’t too bad, I was able to make up some time there. I’m pretty happy.”
As for how he had comforted Ganna as best he could as the Italian faced up to a last-minute defeat.
“Oh, I love Pippo, he’s been amazing for me the last few years, we get along so well, I’m gutted for him. I would have loved for him to win, it’s a shame, but Tadej did such an amazing ride," Plapp said.
“Pippo was worried [watching Pogačar] going into the final climb, I said, 'mate don’t worry, you’ve got this wrapped up'. But it was pretty impressive what Tadej did, so I’m shattered for Pippo. But it just shows that Pogačar is a level above.”
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