Ecuadorian cyclist Jhonatan Narváez (29) secured his first stage win on Italian soil during the 109th edition of the Giro d’Italia. After the race started with three days in Bulgaria and a rest day Monday transfer, the UAE Team Emirates rider sprinted to victory among a large breakaway group in Cosenza, celebrating his inaugural stage triumph in this Grand Tour.
Narváez covered the 138-kilometer distance ahead of Orluis Aular (Venezuela/Movistar) and Giulio Ciccone (Italy/Lidl-Trek). With this result, Ciccone claimed the Maglia Rosa as general classification leader, previously held by Guillermo Thomas Silva (XDS Astana).
The overall favorite, Jonas Vingegaard, faced a setback in the general classification battle even before the start. His Dutch teammate Wilco Kelderman did not resume racing after Monday’s rest day due to lingering crash effects, leaving the Dane without his support in the mountains.
Stage 5 takes place Wednesday, covering 203 kilometers from Praia a Mare to Potenza with over 3,700 meters of elevation gain. The profile favors riders seeking breakaway opportunities.
“This is truly huge for me, after three months of training in Ecuador. This victory is for my teammates who crashed in stage two,” Narváez commented.