Ivo Oliveira launched a clever late attack 1400 metres from the line to win stage 2 of the Giro d'Abruzzo, bringing UAE Team Emirates-XRG their second victory in as many days at the four-day Italian stage race.
Oliveira attacked out of the main group when there was a lull in tempo on the final rise to the finish in Penne, opening up a big enough gap before he went under the flamme rouge, which he held all the way until he celebrated emotionally over the line.
It wasn't a perfect day for UAE, however, with Oliveira's teammate and pre-stage race leader Alessandro Covi finishing fourth on the day and losing the race lead to second placed Filippo Fiorelli (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè), the runner-up on stage 1.
Covi will head into stage 3 of the Giro d'Abruzzo two seconds off the lead of his Italian compatriot, with German champion Marco Brenner (Tudor) sitting in third, eight seconds down, after finishing third on the stage.
Despite his well-timed move to win the stage, Oliveira was not in the fight for the GC lead, having finished 36th on stage 1, 32 seconds behind Covi.
Nonetheless, this brings UAE their 29th victory of 2025, with their 13th different winner, and Oliveira's fourth career pro win. It was a very proud victory for the Portuguese rider, who had only ever won National Championship races and a prologue previously in his career.
"I'm so speechless. After a lot of setbacks and working for the team, I was really happy to take this victory and take the chance," said an emotional Oliveira post-race.
"It was supposed to be for Covi, the stage, I said to him with 4km to go, 'Just stay on the wheel and I will try to anticipate and then we have two cards to play', he was super nice and said to go for it, no problem.
"1.5km to go, I just did my last attack, it was a bit steeper than I thought, and in the last 100 metres I was really short on my power, but it was enough, and I cannot believe it.
"I'm so emotional, I think outside prologues and National [Championships], this was my first victory for the team in a road race, so I'm super proud, the team believes in me, my family and my girlfriend, so thank you to them."
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