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The GC battle returns for the third weekend of the Giro d’Italia, with the 31.2km time trial south of Lake Garda, after which the 222km haul from the lakeshore over the Mortirolo and as much as an altitude of 2385 metres at Livigno.
Tadej Pogačar seems to be in complete management of the Corsa Rosa however even he and his UAE Emirates Team might be involved and totally targeted for the subsequent 48 hours. There may be no errors, distractions or sharing of the pie.
Retaining his close to three-minute lead on Dani Martínez (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) is a primary purpose however Pogačar will certainly wish to achieve much more time on his GC rivals and win extra levels.
The 31.2km time trial on stage 14 is on rolling and sometimes twisting nation roads however seems suited to the big-gear, huge watts time trial specialists purists like Filippo Ganna and his Ineos Grenadiers teammate Tobias Foss, Eduardo Affini (Visma-Lease a Bike) and maybe Pogcar’s teammate Mikkel Bjerg.
The time Pogačar will certainly achieve on Martínez, Thomas, Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) and Italian hope Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) will point out his dominance within the GC battle. If Pogačar manages to beat Ganna but once more, the time distinction will point out his greatness and Cannibalesque starvation for achievement.
In Perugia on stage 7, Pogačar turned a 44-second deficit on the backside of the climb right into a 17-second victory over a shocked and disillusioned Ganna. This time he can’t rely on gravity to cancel out Ganna’s better watts however he might achieve time on the Italian and his GC rivals on his twisting course. He appears extra comfy than ever on his time trial bike and extra assured of his present capability.
The 31.2km ‘cronometro’ begins in Castiglione delle Stiviere, the birthplace of the International Red Cross, then heads east into the flat nation roads under Lake Garda. The first time test is in Solferino after simply 7.8km, with a left flip north quickly after.
The second time cut up is available in Torre di San Martin after 23.2km and can give an actual indication of who’s gaining time and who’s struggling and shedding seconds on every kilometre. The course reaches the shore of Lake Garda in Rivoltella del Garda, with simply 2.2km alongside the shore to race.
The straight, last three kilometres, like a lot of the course, might be raced at near 55 kph, with the end in central Desenzano del Garda overlooking the small harbour space.
Alan Roiu (Arkéa-B&B Hotels) is the primary rider off at 13:40 CET, with Pogačar off final at 16:43 CET.
“It’s pancake flat, and usually I don’t do nicely on pancake flat time trials, however we’ll give it a go,” Pogačar mentioned with a touch of uncommon warning.
“Maybe I must journey ‘round’ 100%, as a result of the subsequent day can be actually arduous. On Saturday, I’ll must set a great tempo from the start after which see the gaps on the opponents.”
Thomas is aware of he can’t undergo one other vital time loss if he hopes to one way or the other tackle Pogačar within the mountains of the ultimate week or at the very least end on the rostrum in Rome.
“Hopefully it’s a bit higher than the final one…” he joked after the dash end into Cento on Friday afternoon. “The TT is a giant day. We’ll do our pacing technique, attempt to follow that as a lot as we are able to see the place we find yourself.”
Thomas seems extra assured after a stable and constant second week in Italy however Ineos Grenadiers know he can’t undergo one other unhealthy day as he did on the climb to Perugia.
“You by no means know when a foul day is coming in a Grand Tour. Sometimes it comes and nobody notices as a result of it comes on the proper time. It got here on that TT, which was fairly noticeable,” Ineos directeur sportif Zak Dempster admitted to Cyclingnews.
“But he bounced again at Prati di Tivo, and he was constructive after that. We’re assured in his talents within the third week given what he’s accomplished and the place he’s in proper now.
“I’d count on him to be proper up there and aggressive on Saturday. He’s accomplished his homework for the time trial. On this rolling course, if he can get the method kicking over the climbs and nailing the corners, which is a vital demand of this time trial, then I believe it fits him, like most time trials.”
Stage 14 Time Checks
- Kilometre 7.8
- Kilometre 23.2