When the 2021 Giro d’Italia began in Turin, Filippo Ganna gained the time trial and pulled on the primary race chief’s maglia rosa, having fun with a second of glory in his house area of Piemonte.
This 12 months the Corsa Rosa once more begins in Turin, with different phases in Piemonte on Sunday and Monday. Ganna’s ambitions and probabilities of success are completely different however a way of ambition stays.
In 2021 Ganna was the large favorite to win the 8.6km metropolis centre time trial and lived as much as expectations, repeating his early success of 2020 in Sicily. This 12 months he’s an outsider, with an opportunity to make use of his energy and quick end after the 140km street stage from Veneria Reale to the centre of town. But he shouldn’t be dominated out.
The opening stage contains a number of late climbs however Ganna is on type and so could possibly be a part of the diminished peloton anticipated to battle for the win in central Turin. He might should dash towards Tadej Pogačar, Julian Alaphilippe and anybody else who decides to race onerous on the Superga, Colle Maddalena and the very brief however steep San Vito climb that ends simply three kilometres from the end.
True to character, Ganna performed down his probabilities however revealed that he and Ineos Grenadiers have studied and skilled for the stage. Nothing has been left to probability.
“Things are completely different this 12 months in comparison with 2021, a street stage in comparison with a time trial stage is extra advanced and so extra open,” Ganna recommended, earlier than revealing his ambitions.
“We’ve tried to simulate the best way we’ll race on Saturday by using on brief and quite a few climbs. The race on the day can be completely completely different; there are riders who can harm us however we’ll attempt our greatest. If it really works out, we’ll have a good time.”
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Ganna went on to put on the maglia rosa for 3 days in 2021. He didn’t journey the 2022 Giro and was pressured out of the 2023 race as a result of COVID-19, so is eager to race on house roads once more.
The uphill end of the stage 6 time trial to Perugia limits his probabilities of victory however the flat stage 14 time trial close to Lake Garda fits his enormous pace and energy. It can be an important check for the Paris Olympics time trial in July, his large purpose of the summer season alongside the staff pursuit on the monitor.
There are a lot of hilly phases on this 12 months’s Giro the place the pure sprinters may be distanced however Ganna refuted that he might dive into the sprints as he did so typically through the 2023 Vuelta a Espana and completed second thrice. Ganna is aware of he may even should undergo and work onerous for 3 weeks as Geraint Thomas tries to tackle Tadej Pogačar and goal total victory.
“I just like the Lake Garda time trial, for those who’ve acquired good legs you are able to do nicely,” he hinted, maybe enjoying thoughts video games together with his rivals and himself.
“I’m not a sprinter and so the potential dash phases can be sophisticated for me. I had a go on the Vuelta as a result of Geraint advised to provide it a try to we went near a win. But with the riders on the Giro, it’ll be troublesome. Of course, we’re right here to attempt, so let’s see what occurs.”
Ganna is modest about his probabilities however proud to be again on the Giro d’Italia.
“Racing in Italy with the tifosi out alongside the street offers you additional motivation and beginning in Piemonte is particular too. We’re in Turin, the place it began in 2021 and in Turin for a troublesome opening stage.”