Romain Grégoire’s Top-10 Position Secure Heading into Summit Finish

The fifth stage of Tirreno-Adriatico saw the climbers finally coming into their element as the race made its way towards Valle Castellana. Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard took advantage of the terrain to claim a solo victory, while Romain Grégoire put up a strong fight to secure a tenth-place finish on the stage and maintain his spot in the top-10 overall before the upcoming summit finish.

The stage featured a shorter route but included a challenging climb of San Giacomo, setting the stage for a battle among the best climbers in the race. Despite a breakaway early in the day, the peloton, led by Visma-Lease a Bike, reeled them in before the decisive climb. Grégoire’s teammate Clément Davy was part of the breakaway but was ultimately caught before he could be a support to Grégoire in the finale.

Reflecting on the challenging climb, Grégoire mentioned, “I did a better climb than I expected.” Despite the intense pace set by Vingegaard and his team, Grégoire managed to hold on to the second chasing group, showcasing his climbing abilities on the day. He finished third in his group, securing a tenth-place finish on the stage.

With his top-10 position intact, Grégoire remained focused on his goal for the race. Looking ahead to the summit finish on Monte Petrano, he expressed optimism about his chances. His coach, Yvon Caër, echoed this sentiment, stating, “The goal is to secure the top 10, or even gain a place or two. Today, he finished just behind the very best.”

As the Groupama-FDJ team prepares for the challenging finale, they will do so without rider Lorenzo Germani, who was forced to abandon the race due to health reasons. Despite this setback, Grégoire remains determined to maintain his position in the top-10 overall standings and potentially improve his ranking in the upcoming stages of Tirreno-Adriatico.