TIRANA, Albania (AP) — In a stunning display of grit and speed, British cyclist Joshua Tarling clinched victory in the second stage of the Giro d’Italia, narrowly defeating pre-race favorite Primoz Roglic by a mere second during an exhilarating individual time trial on Saturday.
With this win, Roglic donned the iconic pink jersey, but the margins were razor-thin.
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Competing for Ineos Grenadiers, Tarling tackled the challenging 14-kilometer (8.5-mile) route winding through the vibrant streets of Tirana, completing the course in 16 minutes and 7 seconds.
After crossing the finish line, an anxious Tarling was left to wonder if any of the subsequent 58 competitors could outpace him. Roglic approached tantalizingly close to the mark but fell just one second short, prompting a wave of relief to wash over Tarling as he shook his head and grinned from the leader’s chair.
This triumph marked Tarling’s very first Grand Tour stage victory—and at just 21 years old, he etched his name in history as the youngest time trial winner in Giro history.
Australian Jay Vine secured the third spot, clocking in three seconds behind Tarling’s impressive time.
As for the overall standings, the Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe rider Roglic held his lead by the thinnest of margins—just one second—over Mads Pedersen, who clinched the inaugural stage on Friday.
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Rider Mathias Vacek now sits in third place overall, just five seconds behind Roglic.
As the Giro continues its enchanting journey, the race remains in Albania for Sunday’s thrilling third stage. This hilly 160-kilometer (99-mile) leg will start and finish in the picturesque coastal city of Vlore, directly across the Adriatic from Italy’s Puglia region, where racers will pause for a rest day before resuming on Tuesday.
The grand finale is set for Rome on June 1.
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