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Tirreno-Adriatico (2019) Photos March 13 - 19

« Tirreno-Adriatico 2019 Dashboard



Stage 0:  Pre-Race Favorites Press Conference  Full Results and Report

Pre-race favorites photo-op
Primoz Roglic, Geraint Thomas, Vincenzo Nibali, Julian Alaphilippe and Tom Dumoulin
Looks like everyone will be aiming for Primoz Roglic

Pre-race favorites press conference in Lido di Camaiore
Vincenzo Nibali, Bahrain - Merida, said: “We’ll try to interpret the Team Time Trial the best we can. The two time trials are important to define the overall classification. The opening time trial will help to understand what can be our goal on GC.”
Julian Alaphilippe, Deceuninck - Quick-Step, said: “This is my first participation at Tirreno-Adriatico. I’m really excited to start this race. After the victory at Strade Bianche, I know I’m in good shape. The TTT is very important. We’re here to try and win some stages with Elia [Viviani] and me. After Stage 1, we’ll see if something can be done on GC as well.”

Geraint Thomas, Team Sky, said: “I was better at this time last year but I’ve improved my condition and we’re here with a strong team for the Team Time Trial. Stage 1 is definitely more open this year. Five or six teams can win it. It’s nice to have Filippo Ganna as a late inclusion in our line-up after he won the individual pursuit at the Track World Championships.”

Tom Dumoulin, Team Sunweb, said: “I’ve had a little time to recover from my crash at the UAE Tour. I took it easy since then and I’m ready to fight for Tirreno-Adriatico now. There’s no long climb on the course this year but the Marche region is also very difficult for bike racing. I love to race there too. Jumbo-Visma was very strong at the UAE Tour. They’re here with the same team but I hope we can have a very strong TTT as well, and we’ll take it from there.”


Primoz Roglic, Team Jumbo - Visma, said: “We’ve had a nice start at the UAE Tour: our team was really strong. It was quite hard for me to defend the jersey. I needed to rest well after that. Now we’re ready for Tirreno-Adriatico with the whole team. I’m looking forward to it!”

Stage 1:  Lido di Camaiore, 21.5 km  Full Results and Report


Mitchelton-Scott on their to winning the 21.5 km TTT in 22:25
Last team to finish, Mitchelton-Scott stops the clock with the winning time, 57.507 km/h
Favorites for the stage win, 2nd Team Jumbo-Visma +7s

3rd Team Sunweb + 22s
4th Deceuninck-QuickStep +37s
Scenic shot of the day goes to 8th Groupama-FDJ + 58s

Bora-Hansgrohe lost several riders due to a crash with a crossing pedestrian and finished 20th + 1:57
Your Stage 1 TTT winners, Mitchelton - Scott


Winning as a team, celebrating as a team
First race leader, Michael Hepburn (Mitchelton - Scott): “Who would cross the line first isn’t something we talked about before racing. We just rode for winning. It was my turn after Alex [Edmondson] and I was first on the line but there was no plan for that. We have a really strong team here at Tirreno-Adriatico and today’s stage suited us as well. Adam [Yates] looks in a really good shape. We’re ready to support him.”

Disappointed Laurens De Plus (Team Jumbo - Visma) was the best young rider: “We’re very disappointed. After we won the last Team Time Trial in the UAE Tour, the expectations were very high. We wanted to win here also. Being beaten by only seven seconds is frustrating. We made some mistakes, myself included, in the last part of the race. Maybe that’s why we’ve lost. It’s still a good position to be in with regards to the overall classification, with Team Sky and Deceuninck-Quick Step quite far behind. The battle isn’t over yet.”

Stage 2:  Camaiore → Pomarance, 189 km  Full Results and Report


Under the weather Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) at the Stage 2 start in Camaiore
Vincenzo Nibali
Gerraint Thomas

Primoz Roglic and his left hand man Laurens De Plus
Tom Dumoulin
Elia Viviani

Daniel Oss and Peter Sagan
Daniel Oss
Jersey leaders, Michael Hepburn and Laurens De Plus

Rollout from Camaiore

The early break



The break


Fernando Gaviria (COL - UAE - Team Emirates) was dropped before the finish while Peter Sagan (SVK - Bora - Hansgrohe) suffered a puncture with 20 km to go
Uphill sprint finish in Pomarance

Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA - Deceuninck - Quick Step) wins Stage 2 ahead of Greg VAN AVERMAET (Belgium Team CCC) and 3rd Alberto BETTIOL (ITA - EF EDUCATION FIRST)


Your Stage 2 (and Strade Bianche) winner, Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA - Deceuninck - Quick Step)
The stage winner, Julian Alaphilippe, said: “The time trial wasn’t the best way to start the race but yesterday was yesterday. Today, myself and the whole team were very motivated to win the stage. It’s an incredible win. If we continue like that, I might still be close to GC by the end. If we don't, I won’t be disappointed considering the nice feeling today’s victory brings.”
5th today and new race leader, Adam YATES (MITCHELTON - SCOTT): “It would have been nice for me to win today but the finish didn’t exactly suit me. There were stronger guys than me but, after tomorrow's stage, there are two stages that I can challenge for time bonuses. With no summit finish this year and an individual time trial to finish with, it’s pretty difficult for me to win Tirreno-Adriatico, but I came here to win a stage and do well on GC. We’ve been doing pretty well so far and we’ll try to win more.”

Stage 3:  Pomarance → Foligno, 224 km  Full Results and Report


Fernando GAVIRIA (COL/UAE TEAM EMIRATES) was 3rd today
2nd yesterday, Greg VAN AVERMAET (Belgium Team CCC)
Today's winner, Elia VIVIANI (ITA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP) and yesterday's winner, Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA - Deceuninck - Quick Step)

Despite appearances, Peter Sagan was feeling better today
A good sign for Italian fan demographics
Stage 3 start scene in Pomarance

Rollout from Pomarance

Early break led by Alexander Cataford (CAN - Israel Cycling Academy)




The break thinking about taking a break

Sprint finish in Foligno


Elia VIVIANI (ITA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP) wins Stage 3 in 5:26:45 ahead of 2nd Peter SAGAN (SVK/BORA - HANSGROHE), 3rd Fernando GAVIRIA RENDON (COL/UAE TEAM EMIRATES), 4th Giacomo NIZZOLO (ITA/DIMENSION DATA), 5th Jens KEUKELEIRE (BEL/LOTTO SOUDAL) and 6th Davide CIMOLAI (ITA/ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY)
Speaking seconds after the stage finish, the stage winner, Elia Viviani, said: “I'm very happy to win my first stage at Tirreno-Adriatico. It was a chaotic sprint. Even the GC riders were fighting for position to avoid losing any time. I lost my two lead-out guys but we always have a spare one and, this time, it was Zdenek Stybar. He put me on a good wheel and that was Peter Sagan's.”

(Photo pre-stage) “I had good legs in the sprint, I was able to push up to the front well, but I came up against two faultless riders,” Gaviria said. “I made a small mistake in positioning and in that time the sprint began, it’s too bad because I wanted to repay the work done by the team. The best thing of the day was the good feelings that I had after a stage of 200 kilometres.”
Your Stage 3 winner, Elia VIVIANI (ITA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP): First time in Italy with the “tricolore”; First win at Tirreno Adriatico
No change on GC. Race leader, Adam Yates (GBR - Mitchelton - Scott): “It's been a long day but the sprinters' teams wanted to control. We sat behind them and I tried to save energy. Tomorrow is not as hard as stage 5 but it could still be decisive.”

Stage 4:  Foligno → Fossombrone, 223 km  Full Results and Report


Elia Viviani was one of several Italian riders that chatted with Michele Scarponi's window Anna Tommasi at the Stage 4 start in Foligno
Gerraint Thomas before he abandoned Stage 4 due to illness
Greg VAN AVERMAET

Tom Dumoulin often looks like he just woke up
Peter Sagan is happy to be over his stomach issues and signing for Stage 4
The early break

Lots of short but steep climbs today


Astana driving the pace setting up for...
Alexey LUTSENKO (KAZ/ASTANA PRO) launched a bold solo attack with 38 km to go:

Checking his gap
The small chase: Primož ROGLIČ (SLO/JUMBO - VISMA), Jakob FUGLSANG (DEN/ASTANA PRO) and Adam YATES (GBR/MITCHELTON - SCOTT)



Alexey LUTSENKO (KAZ/ASTANA PRO) crashed TWICE within 20 km to go

He had a soft landing for this crash, his next one hurt a little more.
Despite his long solo break and crashes, Alexey LUTSENKO (KAZ/ASTANA PRO) won the Stage 4 bunch sprint in 5:16:29 followed by 2nd Primož ROGLIČ (SLO/JUMBO - VISMA), 3rd Adam YATES (GBR/MITCHELTON - SCOTT) and 4th Jakob FUGLSANG (DEN/ASTANA PRO)

“I crashed twice in the last 20km. It made it very difficult for me. Fortunately there was my teammate, Jakob Fuglsang, in the three-man group behind. I crashed again so I'm really happy that I made up with a stage win for this very bad day. It gives me more motivation for tomorrow and the big classics.”
Your Stage 4 winner, Alexey LUTSENKO (KAZ/ASTANA PRO), "I crashed twice but still won, it shows you never know what can happen"
3rd today, Adam YATES (GBR/MITCHELTON - SCOTT) leads Primož ROGLIČ (SLO/JUMBO - VISMA) by 7s: “It was a tricky stage. It was as hard as a classic in the Ardennes, up and down all day with twisty roads and steep climbs. But we were always in the position we needed to be in. In the final climb, I managed to hang on to Roglic's strong pace. I'm a little disappointed to not win the stage but the strongest guy won today.”

Best young rider, Sam Oomen (Sunweb)

Stage 5:  Colli al Metauro → Recanati, 178 km  Full Results and Report


Greg van Avermaet (Belgium Team CCC) checking on yesterday's cycling news
Team Movistar
Primož ROGLIČ (SLO/JUMBO - VISMA) was third today keeping him within striking range on the final day TT

Peter Sagan (SVK - Bora - Hansgrohe) and Vincenzo Nibali (ITA - Bahrain Merida)
Race leader, Adam YATES (GBR/MITCHELTON - SCOTT)
Jersey leaders and the start scene in Colli al Metauro

Rollout from Colli al Metauro




Entering the finishing circuits in Recanati

Astana controlling the front of the race


Jakob FUGLSANG (DEN/ASTANA PRO) during his successful solo attack on the circuits around Recanati
2nd Adam YATES (GBR/MITCHELTON - SCOTT) + 40s and 3rd Primož ROGLIČ (SLO/JUMBO - VISMA) + 56s. Adam Yates, said: “Me and Roglic worked together but there was not enough distance to catch Fuglsang. When he went, it was still a long way to the finish. It was a similar situation as with Lutsenko yesterday. If I went after him, maybe I would have lost energy. It’s a tactical game. Now I have no more stages to win and it’s a time trial to finish with. At the back of my mind, I would have liked a 45-second lead over Roglic, who is a super time triallist. It’s not a course that suits me. I don’t think 25 seconds is enough but I’ll try my best.”
Jakob FUGLSANG (DEN/ASTANA PRO) win Stage 5 in Recanati in 4:39:32 by 40s to move up to third overall + 35s

Jakob Fuglsang, said: “I said yesterday that I’d win for Michele [Scarponi] if possible. I was told he won Tirreno-Adriatico 10 years ago. This was his favorite race and we were racing on his roads today. We still miss him; he remains in our thoughts. He was such a good guy – this one is for him. It takes luck and courage to win races attacking from far. Winning is very difficult. I still have to do a very good time trial to keep my spot on the podium against Tom Dumoulin but I’ll fight for it.”
Astana and Jakob FUGLSANG celebrate another team win. Something like their 19th win of the year.
Your Stage 5 winner, Jakob FUGLSANG (DEN/ASTANA PRO)

Your race leader, Adam YATES (GBR/MITCHELTON - SCOTT) by 25s. “At the back of my mind, I would have liked a 45-second lead over Roglic, who is a super time triallist. It’s not a [TT] course that suits me. I don’t think 25 seconds is enough but I’ll try my best.”

Stage 6:  Matelica → Jesi, 195 km  Full Results and Report





Stage 6 start scene in Matelica



One of several passes through Jesi, the birthplace of Michele Scarponi


Getting dark. Peter Sagan wishes he had time to remove his sunglasses.
Sprint finish in Jesi

Surprise winner in a finish expected to be won by a pure sprinter who were 'blunted' by the distance and hilliness of the race this week. In fact, this finish was slightly uphill.
Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP) wins the Stage 6 sprint in 4:42:11 ahead of 2nd Davide CIMOLAI (ITA/ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY), 3rd Elia VIVIANI (ITA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP), 4th Clement VENTURINI (FRA/AG2R LA MONDIALE), 5th Peter SAGAN (SVK/BORA - HANSGROHE), 6th Maximiliano Ariel RICHEZE (ARG/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP), 7th Jens KEUKELEIRE (BEL/LOTTO SOUDAL), 8th Greg VAN AVERMAET (BEL/CCC)
The winning team's description of the finish: Deceuninck – Quick-Step was all over the front of the pack, dominating the closing kilometres, and it was on the drag to the finish that as soon as Michael Mørkøv peeled off the front, Max Richeze’s brilliant lead-out helped Julian Alaphilippe pull out a small gap on the others and hit the front with 150 meters left, from where the livewire Frenchman put in a huge turn of pace and delivered the team’s 18th victory of the season.

“Wow, it’s such a perfect Tirreno-Adriatico for us. It’s been a successful week for Deceuninck – Quick-Step here in Italy and I am glad I could finish off the squad’s amazing work today. Kasper, Yves Max, everybody contributed to the pace and did a magnificent job on this stage, and for that I am extremely grateful”, said the first Frenchman in three decades to have won a brace of stages at a single Tirreno-Adriatico edition.


Your Stage 6 winner, Julian ALAPHILIPPE (FRA/DECEUNINCK - QUICK-STEP) :“During the stage, Elia told me it was going to be a hard sprint and that he didn’t feel that good, so I was free to try and go for it. Everybody was tired today, you could see that in the bunch. I told him that we will see, then in the last kilometer I found myself on Max’s wheel and as soon as he dropped me in the front, I went full gas and that was it. I can’t tell you how happy and proud I am of my team, whom I want to thank, because this is also their victory.”
Race leader, Adam Yates, said: “The last kilometer was pretty much uphill. We know Alaphilippe can sprint on a road like this one. Maybe a couple of years ago, I could have done it too. I'm not so punchy any more. I hope to create a surprise tomorrow but the TT doesn't suit me and the gap isn't big enough but I'll do my best.”

Stage 7:  San Benedetto del Tronto, 10.1 km  Full Results and Report


Victor CAMPENAERTS (BEL/LOTTO SOUDAL) set an early best time then waited two hours in the hot seat
Victor CAMPENAERTS (BEL/LOTTO SOUDAL) won the 10.1 km final day ITT in 11:23. “I rode a perfect time trial. I knew I had to be strong on the way back where the headwind was really strong. This victory, my first in the World Tour, is important also for my confidence in beating the world hour record next month.”
2nd Alberto BETTIOL (ITA/EF EDUCATION FIRST) + 3s, third EF rider from the left, celebrating EF's team classification win

3rd Jos VAN EMDEN (NED/JUMBO - VISMA) + 4s
7th Tom DUMOULIN (NED/SUNWEB) + 8s
Current world ITT champ and past winner of the San Benedetto del Tronto ITT, 8th Rohan DENNIS (AUS/BAHRAIN - MERIDA) + 9s

11th Primož ROGLIČ (SLO/JUMBO - VISMA) + 13s
Primož ROGLIČ (SLO/JUMBO - VISMA) wins the overall by 1s which believe it or not is not the narrowest win at Tirreno-Adriatico
37th Jakob FUGLSANG (DEN/ASTANA PRO) + 33s to keep third overall

Not good enough. 48th Adam YATES (GBR/MITCHELTON - SCOTT) + 39s to slip to 2nd overall: “I did the best I could. I said before the race that 25 seconds wasn’t enough. It wasn’t enough indeed. But I did a good TT. I’d like to look back but my power was good and I held the position as long as I could. All the way round, the feeling was about the same, just suffering. The course didn’t suit me at all, I knew that. There’s no much more I could do. That’s bike racing. That’s sport at the highest level. But for sure next year I’ll come back and hopefully I can come back stronger and finally win this race overall.”
Your Stage 7 ITT winner, Victor CAMPENAERTS (BEL/LOTTO SOUDAL): “It was quite windy today and until the intermediate point, we had a tailwind. So, I tried to save some energy during the first kilometres as I rode just beneath my average wattage. That also explains my time at the intermediate time check. Then, I would try - with some power left in the legs - to make the difference in the second part of the race. That strategy turned out to be the right one. During the final kilometre, I had the feeling that I went a little above my limit, but eventually everything worked out. After I finished, I still had to wait for over two hours in the hot seat. In the end, some really strong guys like Dumoulin and Roglič still had to start but eventually, no one was able to beat my time. Everything I do is in light of the Hour Record, but my victory today is a really good sign.”
Jakob Fuglsang (Denmark / Team Astana) spotted the mistake in the final leader's jersey first. MITCHELTON - SCOTT won the race leader's jersey every day until today so you can understand the confusion.

The GC podium has landed, but Primož ROGLIČ (SLO/JUMBO - VISMA) wouldn't don the leader's jersey until they fixed it
Your 2019 Tirreno-Adriatico GC podium: 2nd Adam YATES (GBR/MITCHELTON - SCOTT) + 1s, 1st Primož ROGLIČ (SLO/JUMBO - VISMA) 25:28:00, 3rd Jakob FUGLSANG (DEN/ASTANA PRO) + 30s
Primož ROGLIČ (SLO/JUMBO - VISMA) slipped into the (updated) leader's jersey and hoisted winner's trident trophy with rare emotion. Just over two weeks after opening his 2019 season with the overall victory at the UAE Tour, Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo-Visma) became the first Slovenian to win Tirreno-Adriatico

Another one-week GC win for Primož ROGLIČ (SLO/JUMBO - VISMA)... only a matter of time before he wins a Grand Tour: “After the team time trial we had, it looked very difficult to end up on the final podium. We had to go for stages instead. We finish Tirreno-Adriatico with two stage wins. I’m happy for the result we eventually got. It wasn’t an easy time trial to finish with. It was no fun at all with all the wind out there.”
Best young rider, Sam Oomen (Team Sunweb)