Tadej Pogačar was the fastest rider from the peloton on the Passo Brocon mountain top finish but did not win Stage 17 of the Giro d’Italia, as the strongest breakaway rider Georg Steinhauser had built up a big lead before the final kilometres.
It was a hard and rainy day in the Giro. With a fast opening climb at the start, an elite breakaway was created. Giulio Pellizzari took the Cima Coppi against Nairo Quintana on Passo Sella which topped off at 2,239 metres above sea level. The riders in the peloton needed to push around 5.9 ᵉW/Kg for 25 minutes, while Pellizari, Quintana, Steinhauser needed to go even harder to be ahead of the GC riders.
Before the final climb of the day Thymen Arensman in the peloton spent 4,142 kilojoules for 4:01h which is 14.30 kj/kg/h. Intensive and high kilojoule day in bad weather. The peloton averaged 6.15 ᵉW/Kg for 13 minutes on Gobbera and 5.2 ᵉW/Kg for 36 minutes on the first ascent of Passo del Brocon. The steep part of the Brocon (9.4 km, 7.71%) was selective enough to make gaps in the GC group.
The strongest riders from the breakaway were Georg Steinhauser and Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier. The German climber dropped his rival before the final climb and had around a three-minute advantage over the peloton and Tadej Pogačar. INEOS were pacing on Brocon and managed to drop podium contender Ben O’Connor. In the last kilometres Dani Martinez accelerated but later it was Pogačar who again dropped everyone in the GC group.
Pogačar did Passo Brocon in 27:04 min for 6.07 ᵉW/Kg, which was not enough to catch Steinhauser as he still had a 2-minute lead going into the last three kilometres. The Slovenian was alone for 30-35% of the time on the climb and gained 18 seconds on Tiberi, Thomas, Martinez, Rubio and Bardet who all did 5.95–6.00 ᵉW/Kg, depending on the draft.
Steinhauser at the age of 22 won his first pro race while beating strong riders from the original breakaway such as Quintana, Pellizzari, Ghebreigzabhier and Alaphilippe. There are two mountain days left in the Giro, on Stages 19 and 20, which might influence the standings on the podium if Dani Martinez or Geraint Thomas loses significant time on Monte Grappa or other climbs.
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