Geraint Thomas, who clawed back 2-04 minutes in Montefalco on Nairo Quintana (Movistar) in the stage 10 time trial, has worked too hard to be ready for the 2017 Giro d’Italia to just give up on the overall classification.
Sky’s captain finished second in the time trial through the Sagrantino vineyards, 49 seconds behind new overall leader Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb). He sits 5-33 behind in the overall, a disadvantage mostly due to a crash in the Blockhaus stage two days ago.
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“For the movement yeah [I’m going for the classification], I’m not going to just give up,” Thomas said. “I’ve worked too hard just to give up. I’ll take it day by day and see.”
A police motorbike parked on the roadside caused Wilco Kelderman (Sunweb) to crash ahead of the Blockhaus climb. It triggered chaos behind, with six Sky riders falling including co-captain Mikel Landa and Briton Adam Yates (Orica-Scott).
Thomas looked ready to abandon, but returned to his bike and finished 5-08 behind Quintana.
“I certainly feel better than yesterday, but certainly not 100% either. It was awkward in that [time trial] position today,” Thomas said.
“I’m still sore, but I gave it everything today, but can be happy with how I rode. I’m still feeling the effects of the crash big time, my shoulder is still sore and whatever, but I had to put it in the back of my mind and go full-gas and see how I was. I can be happy with that ride.”
Thomas sat in the hot seat while others failed to top his 51-26 time over the rolling 39.8km course. Dumoulin did so at every marker and finished ahead in Montefalco. However, the determined Welshman still wants to try to win a Giro stage and climb up the overall.
“I’d love to [win a stage], I still haven’t won a stage of a Grand Tour yet. I was second again today, I was second a few times before already, so hopefully I can get that stage win at some point,” he said.
“It’s still a long way to go, a lot of racing, I’ll give it everything each day, and try to recover in the next three days and hopefully by the next mountain top [Oropa on Saturday] I’ll feel more or less back to normal.
“Is a podium possible? I’m definitely not going to give up at the moment, but it’s still a long way off and it’s not ideal what happened. Like always, I’ll just keep fighting and see what I can do.”
