Giro della Toscana 2023 [FULL RACE]

September 13, 2023

Giro della Toscana 2023 🇮🇹 – Pontedera – Pontedera : 191,55 km

The Giro della Toscana falls in mid-September and regularly opens up an action-packed period of racing known by many as the ‘Italian Classics season’. The race was first held back in 1923. Similar to the other Italian Classics, the Giro della Toscana often follows a gruelling, mountain-packed route, making it the preserve of the climbers and Grand Tour specialists. The race has followed a similarly mountainous route around Tuscany throughout its 100-year history and has regularly started and finished in the town of Pontedera. In more recent years, the one-day race has totalled around 200km and featured up to three laps of a gruelling circuit around the mountains to the north of the town. Each lap features an ascent of the infamous Monte Serra – an 8.4km-long climb that boasts an energy-sapping 7.1% average gradient. The descent that follows this cruel climb is equally as tough, with a number of technical corners and adverse cambers to negotiate on the way down. From the foot of the descent to the finish there’s a pan-flat section of around 15km. It’s here where those riders who escaped on the climb must try to work together, if there’s too much infighting then the chasers will be allowed back in.

Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers) powered to victory in the Giro della Toscana, soloing in ahead of Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost).

After coming a frustrated second to Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) at the Grand Prix Montréal Sivakov could finally raise his arms for the first time since the 2022 Vuelta a Burgos.

Felix Großschartner (UAE Team Emirates) chased in solo for the final podium spot with teammate Tadej Pogačar a distant fourth.

“I’ve been looking for a win for a long time – last year I won Burgos, but I didn’t raise the hands it was GC – I’m really happy to win now,” Sivakov said.

“In the climb I was the strongest – I was first over the top. When I was with Richie I knew he’s faster in the downhills so the chance was he would come back. With two – it was a long way so it was better to be with him. I felt I was stronger than him in the final so I attacked on the last bridge because I knew he’s faster in the sprint.”

An early breakaway containing Alessandro De Marchi (Jayco-Alula), Andrea Garosio (Eolo-Kometa), Jéremy Cabot (TotalEnergies) and Walter Calzoni (Q36.5) was caught by the UAE Team Emirates-led chase with 36.3km to go before the second trip over the Monte Serra climb.

Davide Formolo led the peloton up the climb to set up teammates Pogačar and Großschartner, reducing the front group to eight riders before Großschartner attacked with 32km to go.

Sivakov led the pursuit first with Pogačar and Carapaz on his wheel and, after catching the Austrian, Sivakov attacked.

As Pogačar struggled, Carapaz came past in pursuit of the Ineos rider, who went over the summit with a 13-second advantage but lost all of it to Carapaz on the descent.

Sivakov and Carapaz powered on while Großschartner left Pogačar behind and set off in pursuit but could not reach the duo.

Coming into the final kilometre, Sivakov attacked on a highway overpass and Carapaz couldn’t match him.

Results :