A Late Duel While Biniam Girmay was making history with his victory in Ghent-Wevelgem, Mathieu Van der Pol was experiencing a resurgence in the Settimana Coppi e Bartali. Gil May was already at home in Eritrea when Van der Pol won his second Tour de Flanders.

The battle for the prize money would finally take place at the Giro d'Italia. In the first round, Van der Pol dominated Gilmey in the uphill finish of Visegrad to take the race's first Maria Rosa. Based on Friday's results, it looks like there is more to come from these two. This Giro may be just the beginning.

Van der Pol was the favorite to win in Visegrad, and Gil May was the leading contender to challenge him. As in Wevelgem, Gilmey was fearless in starting his sprint from a distance, despite it being his first Grand Tour appearance. Only one man, Van der Poel, was able to surround him.

"I started with almost 300 meters to go. I think I was at my limit and Van der Pol was a little bit stronger today," Gil May told reporters after stopping the wheels in front of the finish line. It's special to be second in your first Grand Tour stage to a big champion like Mathieu van der Pol."

Caleb Yuan (Lotto-Soudal), who was third in the pre-race, was struggling to stay with the pack in the last few meters when he hit Gil May's rear wheel and crashed just before the line. Gilmey felt the impact as he accelerated to catch up to Van der Pol, but did not believe it affected his effort.

"I honestly couldn't see it. I just felt something touch my wheel. I was just starting to sprint and it felt like someone touched me from behind."

Gil May was aiming to become the first black African-American to win a stage of a Grand Tour, but judging by his short career so far, he would make history sooner rather than later, and perhaps even here in the Giro. On Friday evening, rather than thinking about the Maria Rosa that passed before him, he thought about the opportunities that lie ahead. For now, the 22-year-old will have to be content with the white jersey for Best Young Player.

"I came here to win a stage, not to wear the pink jersey. Today is just one day, there are other days," Gil May said. Today is just one day, there are other stages. There are a number of stages that are suitable for me, and I will find out in the next few days."

After the awards ceremony, Van der Pol entered the mixed zone and stepped up to compliment Girmay's sprint.

For his part, Gilmey softly dismissed the notion that he was surprised that he was the one who pushed Van der Poel the hardest in this finale. It was with the Giro and this stage in mind that he decided to return to Eritrea immediately after Ghent-Wevelgem.

"I think we had already been talking about this stage for a month or two. We knew we could do something," Gilmey said. The Intermarché team made a notable move to try to control the peloton in the 5km drag to the finish.

"It was really tough, especially the last 3 or 4 km. But I needed a faster, harder race, so I told the team to move a little bit. In the end, I think I started the sprint a little bit earlier, maybe with 300 meters to go.

The beauty of the Giro is that the race in Gilme, which starts two days later in Balatonfredo, can start all over again. A second race with Van der Pol awaits on the shores of Lake Balaton.

"He's always in good shape and for me this was my first Grand Tour. For me, this is just the beginning."