The Belgian National Champion dominates the first day of competition by winning both halfstages

Bolano, 31 August 2023 – The 47th Giro della Lunigiana was immediately tinged with the tricolour, but the colours that stood out on the podium were the yellow, red and black of the Belgian flag courtesy of Jarno Widar, who scored in both half-stages of this long opening day.

Two uphill finishes, two different ways to win for Widar who in Fivizzano outsprinted a small group while in the afternoon in Bolano left all his rivals behind him with Norwegian Jorgen Nordhagen finishing behind the Belgian National Champion in both stage. For Widar came, in addition to the Maglia Verde, the satisfaction of wearing the Maglia Blu of the points classification and the Maglia a Pois of the GPM classification. In the Maglia Bianca there is the Polish Patryk Goszczurny, who was able to finish on the podium by catching up in the final of the second half-stage, while the Maglia Azzurra of the best Italian rider is the prerogative of the National Champion Simone Gualdi. Also on the podium of the day was Alessandro Failli, leader of the Maglia Arancione reserved for the flying sprints.

STAGE RESULTS
1 Jarno Widar (Belgium) – 46.7 km in 1h02’27” average speed 44.868 km/h
2 Jorgen Nordhagen (Norway) at 3″
3 Patryk Goszczurny (Poland) at 10″

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 Jarno Widar (Belgium) – 46.7 km in 1h02’27” average speed 44.868 km/h
2 Jorgen Nordhagen (Norway) at 3″
3 Leo Bisiaux (France) at 10″

DECLARATIONS
A few minutes after crossing the finish line, stage winner and Maglia Verde holder Jarno Widar said: “It was a very nervous stage, I was afraid of getting caught up in some crashes. I started the climb a bit too far back but managed to get back on the wheels of the front guys after 500 metres. As I wear the Maglia Verde I didn’t feel the need to attack myself and in the finale, when I saw that I still had energy, I attacked in the toughest section of the climb with 200 metres to go. I had studied this finale and was confident. I came here to win the Giro della Lunigiana, it’s a big goal of mine, and surely this is the best possible start.”

The Maglia a Pois Patryk Goszczurny, said: “It was a tough stage, I tried to stay on the wheel of the best riders and I’m happy to have finished third. The Maglia Bianca is a good goal, we’ll see if we can aim for something more between now and the end of the Giro.”

THE OFFICIAL JERSEYS OF THE 47TH GIRO DELLA LUNIGIANA
The leader jerseys of the 47th Giro della Lunigiana are designed by ALKA.

  • Maglia Verde, leader of the General Classification, sponsored by Poliartigiana Srl – Jarno Widar (Belgium)
  • Maglia Blu, leader of the Points Classification, sponsored by Regione Liguria – Jarno Widar (Belgium)
  • Maglia a Pois, leader of the KOM, sponsored by Confindustria La Spezia – Jarno Widar (Belgium)
  • Maglia Bianca, leader of the Young Riders Classification, born after 01/01/2006, sponsored by Spigas Clienti / Terre di Luni – Patryk Goszczurny (Poland)
  • Maglia Rossa, leader of the Intermediate Sprints, sponsored by Assessorato allo Sport della Regione Liguria / Memorial Massimo Vanello – Alessandro Failli (Rappresentativa Lunigiana)
  • Maglia Azzurra, leader of the Italian Riders Classification, sponsored by Conad – Simone Gualdi (Lombardia)

TOMORROW’S STAGE
STAGE 2, PORTOFINO-CHIAVARI 98 KM

The Perla del Tigullio welcomes once again the stars of international youth cycling for a stage that is very demanding in the first part and favourable to faster riders in the second. The difficulties are in fact all concentrated in the first 46 km with the ascents of Ruta di Camogli – Porta del Parco, Colle Caprile, and the first category GPM of Passo del Portello, 15 km at 5.9%. Once past the GPM it will be all downhill and flat until Chiavari, which will host “The Race of the Future Champions” for the first time in history.