Without João Almeida, Richard Carapaz, and Mikel Landa, does the Giro lose some of its competitiveness?
It loses something, especially with Almeida’s absence. For me, he is the biggest loss and could have been a real rival for Jonas Vingegaard. Without him, Vingegaard becomes the overwhelming favorite, unless something goes wrong. But the upside is that a fascinating battle for the podium and top five positions emerges. Below Vingegaard, there is a large group of riders of very similar level. I consider Giulio Pellizzari the strongest of the rest — I would place him as the probable runner-up — but after him, the peloton is incredibly even: Adam Yates, Jai Hindley, Thymen Arensman, Ben O’Connor, Michael Storer, Geraint Thomas, and I am very curious to see how Egan Bernal performs given his recent recovery and improved form.
Compared to previous editions, this Giro seems to have fewer iconic climbs. How does that affect the race?
At first glance, there are fewer famous climbs and fewer mountain stages, but the ones included are extremely tough. Instead of one or two obvious queen stages, there are four that could claim that title. This should create a more dynamic race. Some stages will favor breakaways with GC battles behind, while others could completely reshuffle the standings. Even if there are fewer legendary climbs, we still have the Jaufenpass, Blockhaus, and several ascents that haven’t been used in decades — or ever. Climbs become iconic by how riders tackle them, and we might discover new ones that deserve to return.
Stage 10 has a 42 km flat time trial. Does that effectively end the GC hopes of pure climbers, or can the brutal final week in the Dolomites compensate?
Pure climbers have improved enormously in time trials, even on flat ones. On 42 km, they will still lose time, but not catastrophic amounts. And the following mountain stages offer plenty of opportunities to regain time if they are strong enough. I like that there is only one time trial: 42 km is almost too long, but it gives the rouleurs a chance to gain time before the high mountains. The route seems well-balanced: everyone has a chance to use their strengths.
Stage 7, from Formia to Blockhaus, is 244 km: a real throwback. How does that distance affect riders psychologically? Does it favor pure climbers or diesel engines?
Riders with experience in very long stages — the diesel engines — might handle it better, although almost no one in the current peloton has ridden stages this long. Wout Poels is one of the few who remembers them. It will be brutal. Some riders prefer long stages because short, explosive ones don’t suit them. Others will be horrified. The distance could scare everyone and make them conservative, or it could lead to an epic day that sets the tone for the race. I think Vingegaard will target this stage to take control of the Giro. Over 244 km, the differences will be greater than if it were 150 km.
What do you expect from the sprint stages and how do you rate Jonathan Milan?
At first I thought there were nine flat stages, which reminded me of the Cipollini and Petacchi era. But looking closely, several are not true sprint stages. Still, sprinters have good opportunities. Milan is the clear favorite: his Giro track record and Grand Tour form speak for themselves. He has had some injuries and losses this year, but without Jasper Philipsen, Tim Merlier, or Olav Kooij, he stands above the rest. Tobias Lund Andresen, Paul Magnier, and Kaden Groves are also solid contenders, but Milan is the man to beat in the sprint finishes.
