The central daily of the Slovenian national television started today with cycling. All other topics were secondary.
The reason, of course, is the phenomenal Primož Roglič.
By winning the penultimate, 20th stage of the Giro d'Italia, the mountain time trial from Tarvisi to the top of the climb on Monte Lusari, in a length of 18,6 kilometers, the driver of Jumbo-Visma took the lead in the overall ranking just one day before the end of the big race.
Roglič, in front of a large number of Slovenians, who fought him wholeheartedly at every kilometer, completed the given section in 44:23 minutes, 40 seconds faster than the second-placed Briton Genright Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers).
In the overall standings, the Slovenian turned a 26-second deficit into a 14-second advantage ahead of the last, exhibition stage through the streets of Rome, which will be run on Sunday.
If a miracle does not happen, Roglič will become the first Slovenian winner of the "Đira" in the 114-year history of this legendary race.
Although chromometers are usually not interesting, this Saturday's was amazing. Tomas got off to a better start, after the first few kilometers on a flatter road he was four seconds faster, but when the road became steeper Roglič started to catch up. However, in the passing time 4,3 kilometers before the finish, Roglič had only 16 seconds better time than Tomas - in the overall standings, he was still 10 seconds behind.
And then the real drama began - just a few hundred meters later Roglič had a chain fall off his bike on a steep part, so he had to stop and needed a "push" from the mechanic to get going again. There, the Slovenian lost at least 15 seconds and it seemed that his dreams of winning the Tour of Italy would dissipate like a bubble...
But the crescendo of the penultimate stage followed - at the very end, Tomas completely gave up, "breathed through his gills" and barely turned the pedals, so in the last three kilometers he lost about half a minute compared to Roglič and the overall victory went to the 33-year-old To the Slovenian, for the general euphoria in the "land" before tomorrow's probable coronation.
For Roglič, this will be his fourth victory in major races, after three consecutive victories at the Vuelta (2019, 2020, 2021). His best result so far at the "Djiro" was third place from 2019, and he also has second place at the "Tour de France" from 2020.
It was on that Tour that he had a 57-second advantage over compatriot Tadej Pogačar before the penultimate stage, the mountain time trial, but he was 1:56 minutes slower in that stage and finished second. Now it's all back to him...
Tomas, who turned 37 two days ago, was close to becoming the oldest winner of the "Djiro" in history. He achieved his greatest success at the "Tour", which he won in 2018, a year later he was second, and in 2022 he was third.
Third place in the stage was taken by the Portuguese João Almeida (UAE Emirates) with a time 42 seconds slower than Roglic. Almeida is also third in the overall standings, 1:15 minutes behind Roglič.
Bonus video:
