THE ESCAPE HAD NO SPACE
Good riders broke away, but I don’t understand how UAE was able to maintain this pace today too. Obviously they were right by winning the stage. But regarding the team’s economy, in my opinion they are not managing everything in the best possible way in view of the third week.
POGACAR RISKS OF MAKING ENEMIES
In the end he has a nice lead, 2’40” over Martinez. He just has to manage. He knows that he is very fast, so he waits for the sprint and takes home the stage and the bonuses. Tactically if he can afford it. However, doing so creates enmity in the group. If he gets a puncture or a problem, many will try to take him out, because he isn’t leaving anything for the others.
DANIEL MARTINEZ CONVINCES
Daniel Martinez did well before the Giro, he is here to make the rankings and I believe he will improve. In this Giro we had to be at 90% from the first stages. Even today I didn’t mind, he was always close behind Pogacar and in the end he almost managed to keep him in the sprint.
BEN O’CONNOR LURKING
Ben O’Connor is in a team that is going very well this year, he has really changed gear compared to last year. Today they were the only team with two athletes in the top 10 together with Ineos. He also does quite well in the time trial, he can aim for the podium.
THOMAS DOESN’T SHINE, BUT HE’S ALWAYS THERE
Thomas is a regular, he’s always there, he does his thing. If he succeeds, he will make the difference in the last week. Now we don’t find out much. My feeling is that with Pogacar like this everyone is fighting for second place, with the hope that sooner or later he will have a bad day.
TIBERI PASSES THE PRATI DI TIVO EXAM
Tiberi really surprised me. I would have been satisfied with a placing, but he has shown that he is in excellent condition, he doesn’t sit there waiting for the others. He tried to win the stage, made a good jump in the standings, and is now sixth. I think he can continue like this and understand in the third week what his limits will be on the Dolomite climbs.
WHITE JERSEY GOAL FOR TIBERI?
Since Damiano Caruso has missed out, Bahrain has every interest in him making the rankings and understanding what his limit is. The white jersey will come accordingly, but the focus now will be on getting as far ahead in the standings as possible. Then maybe in the last week he can think about attacking Uijtdebroeks.
THE TIMELESS POZZOVIVO
Pozzovivo is a highlander. Despite his age and the numerous falls that affect his posture when riding a bike, he was really good, finishing just outside the top 10. He is one of the most consistent in the group. It will be curious to see what he comes up with in the last week, maybe he will have a significant gap in the standings and could try to enter a breakaway from afar to try to win a stage.
LORENZO FORTUNATO MANAGES HIMSELF ON A NOT SIMPLE DAY
This was a climb suited to his characteristics. I think he went worse in the hardest part, then he recovered in the final. Of course, having struggled is not a good sign, but still he is in the top 10. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to recover between tomorrow and Monday, because on Tuesday there will be another uphill finish, among other things after the rest day.
ZANA’S DIMENSION
I believe his dimension is that of a stage hunter. I would take a break and accumulate even more minutes to then have a better chance of having space in long-distance escapes.
DID YOU EXPECT MORE FROM PELLIZZARI?
We saw Pellizzari well at the Tour of the Alps. I think he did most of the hard work there, now he’s suffering. But he is very young and he can stay there. Perhaps he deliberately left the rankings while thinking about a stage.
TOMORROW UNCERTAIN ARRIVAL IN NAPLES
The average will be very high in the first hour of the race, many will want to breakaway. The last 50 km have three ‘dents’. I think that it will arrive in the sprint, there will be a lot of control from the sprinters’ teams. On the last occasion the escape had arrived, so I think that this time the Milan team will find more collaboration.
TOMORROW’S FAVORITE
Milan is the strongest and is aware of it. He’s not afraid to start long either, so for me he’s the favourite.
Alessandro Ballan is Banca Mediolanum’s testimonial at the Giro d’Italia 2024
PREVIOUS EPISODES
The presentation of the Giro d’Italia
First stop: “This is how Pogacar makes enemies. Oropa will be a test for Tiberi”
Second stage: “Pogacar has only one Achilles heel. Tiberi and Pellizzari are not ready yet”
Third stage: “Pogacar is spending too much and could pay. Milan must trust their teammates”
Fourth stage: “Milan can win 3-4 stages, but watch out for Pogacar for the cyclamen. And Ganna…”
Fifth stage: “Pogacar could leave the pink jersey”
Sixth stage: “Pogacar can give more than 30″ to Thomas”
Seventh stage: “Pogacar leaves only one glimmer of hope. Tiberi: better a placing or a stage?
