AGRIGENTO — Shrewd tactics, a great team effort and a perfect finish were the key ingredients that led to success for Diego Ulissi in the 2nd stage of the Giro d’Italia, on the 149 km from Alcamo to Agrigento.

On the final slope towards Agrigento (3.7 km at 5.3%), UAE Team Emirates showed all its strength, with Valerio Conti picking up the pace at the head of a main group that was being heavily reduced.

Conti held out until 700 meters from the finish, when Luca Wackermann (Vini Zabù-KTM) tried a counter-attack, followed by Ulissi and Mikkel Honorè (Deceuninck-Quick Step); the latter two were joined in the last 100 meters by Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe), for a three-man sprint dominated by Ulissi.

The win marked the seventh personal career victory for Ulissi at the Giro, a success that also earns him the points classification and 10th place in the general classification (+54” from Filippo Ganna).

Ulissi said, “I am really happy to get my seventh career victory at the Giro. It is a great personal satisfaction, but also for the team: we got off to a great start in this Corsa Rosa, putting into practice what we planned in the team meeting.

“Bjerg, Gaviria, Richeze all did great work on the flats. Then, on the final climb, I asked Conti to up the pace, to tire out the sprinters: Valerio was perfect and laid the foundations to allow me to play my cards in what was a difficult sprint, especially when Sagan came back.”

The third stage is already one for the climbers, departing from Enna and arrival, after 150 km, at the top of Mt. Etna (Linguaglossa).

Giro d’Italia Stage 2 results: 1. Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) 3:24:58; 2. Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe) s.t.; 3. Mikkel Honorè (Deceuninck-Quick Step) s.t.

General classification after the 2nd stage: 1. Philip Ganna (Ineos-Grenadier) 3:40:27; 2. Joao Almeida (Deceuninck-Quick Step) +22 ”; 3. Geraint Thomas (Ineos-Grenadier) +23 ”; 10. Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) +54 “

Also in action was UAE Team Emirates Tour de France talisman, Tadej Pogacar who finished third in Liege-Bastogne-Liege after a dramatic finish saw world champion Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-Quickstep) demoted from second to fifth place.

His relegation meant that Pogacar was promoted from fourth to third and made up the final podium place.

Pogacar said, “I was in a good position as we came into the line and I said to myself ‘Let’s go for the win’. It was a messy sprint and at one point I thought I would crash but I managed to stay up and finish on the podium.

“It was a real pleasure to race here, it’s a beautiful race. Last year was my debut and I finished 18th and learned a lot. To be here one year later in the lead group battling for the victory was a great feeling. In the future I want to come back and fight again.”

Liege-Bastogne-Liege results: 1. Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo-Visma) 5:32:02; 2. Marc Hirschi (Team Sunweb) s.t.; 3. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) s.t. — SG