Harm Vanhoucke gives up in Giro d’Italia due to stomach problems

After about 100 km of course, the Kortrijkzaan squeezed the brakes. At that time he was already well behind the peloton. Vanhoucke was 83rd overall, 1h19:09 behind leader Geraint Thomas (INEOS Grenadiers). He is the third to give up on Thursday after the Australian Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck), winner of the fifth stage, and the Frenchman Mikaël Chérel (AG2R Citroën). The Italian Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates) had not started in the twelfth stage. Vanhoucke is the fortieth rider to leave the Giro and the third Belgian, after rosette jersey wearer Remco Evenepoel and Louis Vervaeke (both Soudal Quick-Step). The two Wolfpack riders had tested positive for COVID-19. Thursday’s twelfth stage, between Bra and Rivoli, is 185 kilometers long and seems set for a winning breakaway: a difficult climb of the second category awaits in the last hour of the race