Michael VALGREN. 10 out of 10. The Danish celebration continues, the campaign through Italy continues for this 34-year-old who has won 10 races in his career, many of them here at home. This year a stage at the Giro and at Tirreno (Mombaroccio), Giro della Toscana and Coppa Sabatini in 2021, also in his palmares an Amstel and an Omloop plus two Tours of Denmark. A rider who wins infrequently, but when you get him in the right position, he rarely makes a mistake. He attacks 1200 meters from the finish line, with a progression worthy of a great finisher. He leaves them there, in every sense. In 2022 he had a close call: a crash that caused him a pelvic fracture, hip damage and serious knee injuries. His career was at risk. He didn't give up and returned to winning this year at Tirreno, after five years. Today his first stage victory in a Grand Tour, for a great interpreter of our sport who doesn't surrender, who doesn't give up and wins: for himself, for his team, for his family. Today at the finish line he joyfully displays a green disc, a gift from his little boy. An evergreen.

Andreas LEKNESSUND. 9. Fermo, Verbania and now Andalo: three second places that don't make a first, but make this 27-year-old Norwegian one of the great protagonists of this Giro. With stubborn determination he tries to turn a race that is currently making him suffer greatly in his favor. He, however, accepts even defeats with great sportsmanship: with a smile on his lips. I'll try again, he assures us. My support will be for him, I assure you of that too.

Damiano CARUSO. 9. At 38 years old, he almost plays a tune for everyone. The uncle happily trips along, convinced he can gather something good. Convinced he can leave his mark before he leaves. He says that at the end of the season it will be the end. Enough with racing. Looking at it closely, perhaps others should be the ones to stop, a bit younger than the Sicilian from Bahrain. He is our present, our past but at this rate he is also our future.

Aleksandr VLASOV. 6. He is one of the favorites for the final victory, but towards the end he begins to struggle a bit, even though he remains in the leading positions.

Einer RUBIO. 7. He races hard. He is among those who give the most of themselves, and in the end, after having given his all, he pays the price.

Igor ARRIETA. 5.5. He is an experienced rider who has the hallmarks of a winning rider. He's already done it in this Giro, but he can't manage to repeat himself.

Gianmarco GAROFOLI. 7. Davide Bramati's young rider races at the front and puts in not only his legs but also his heart. He fights hard without fear. The 23-year-old from the Marche region is a rider of temperament: he doesn't like anonymity. He likes to be seen, to stand out, to chase riders and objectives. Today many are chasing him, some escape him. But what a head.

David DE LA CRUZ. 7.5. Slowly and quietly the Spanish rider from Pinarello climbs up a bit more. He slips into the day's breakaway and races hard. He gains a position in the general classification. Now he's in a good position (13th)

Jhonatan NARVAEZ. 7. We see him in the breakaway and think: he wins. Cycling is neither mathematics nor statistics. In this final part of the Giro, perhaps the fatigue on the face of the Ecuadorian rider is beginning to show. Less brilliant than usual, the UAE rider is always there fighting. He takes back the cyclamen jersey of the points classification. He wins the points today too. Tireless.

Mark DONOVAN. 6.5. Two riders in the top ten for Pinarello Q 36.5. Mark does his part, Gabriele Missaglia, with a more than decimated team, can only be happy.

Giulio CICCONE. 5.5. He brings home some points (4) for the mountain classification, but he can't give meaning to his day.

Martin MARCELLUSI. 6. The Lazio rider can't stay still, can't stay in line, won't hear of staying sheltered in the group. The 26-year-old rider of Roberto Reverberi and Mirko Rossato is restless. He has quicksilver in his body and in his heart there is only one objective: the one who lasts wins. Once again on the attack, once again he's the first to light the fuse. Then he gets burned.

Nickolas ZUKOWSKY. 17. The Canadian from Pinarello Q36.5 can't make it. Caught up in the crash before the Milan sprint (the one from the Zanoncello-Donaldson contact), he had suffered a serious arm injury. Today he raises it, in a sign of surrender.