The Giro d'Italia final mountain days will re-shape the race overall, says Astana manager Giuseppe Martinelli. The riders face two stages in the Alps between Italy and France, today racing to Risoul, France, over the Colle dell'Agnello and Saturday over four categorised climbs to Sant’Anna di Vinadio.
>>> Giro d’Italia leader Steven Kruijswijk crashes into snow drift on descent (video)
Dutchman Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo) leads the race by three minutes over Colombian Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEDGE), but he crashed into a snow bank mid-stage. Spaniard Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) sits in third at 3-23 and 2013 winner Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) in fourth at 4-43.
"They are two hard stages, and too hard to only watch what the others do," Martinelli said this morning. "Everyone will race with what they have. Something important will happen today or tomorrow, I've raced these roads enough to know.
"The men who are up there racing for the podium are strong, but when you are up at 2000 metres, many things can change. Nibali can still make a difference for the podium."
Russian Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) crashed on the Agnello descent and is reported with a broken left collarbone. He was in fifth overall at the start of the day.
"What will happen? That's the million dollar question, no one knows how aggressive or negative the race will be," head sports director at Orica-GreenEdge, Matt White said. "The longer we go into the race, the closer to the finish, the guys start to look at their places.
"Steven Kruijswijk hasn't shown any weakness. For him, I'd be more worried for tomorrow, we start uphill and he'll probably be isolated after 19km.
“Will Chaves will risk it? There will be testing Steven Kruijswijk in the next 48 hours for sure."
"They could take a risk, but Saturday's stage is coming and they will be a bit afraid," Eusebio Unzué, manager of Valverde's Movistar team said.
"They want to race without losing time and maintain their spots. Anyway, on the last climb, like we've seen every day, something will happen. This is the Giro."
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
Back from bankruptcy, Mavic opens new facility in Vermont, teases new product
In addition to re-establishing sales in North America, the historic brand will release new wheels in the coming months
-
Neilson Powless on Saving Road Racing in America, Polka Dots and Parenthood
American Neilson Powless talks us through his 2023 Tour de France, preparing for parenthood and his goals for next season and beyond
-
Opinion: There will never be another bike rider like Annemiek van Vleuten
The flying Dutchwoman could almost win it all, but now her era has almost ended, she should be remembered as the greatest
-
Will Barta's Canyon bike snaps in Giro d'Italia stage 10 crash
Movistar rider was caught up in incident in sodden day at Giro d'Italia
-
Alejandro Valverde to return to racing with new Movistar gravel squad
Spanish veteran will pin on numbers in his first ever gravel race at ‘La Indomable’ in Spain on 23 April
-
Women’s WorldTour calendar 'a mess' and 'a nonsense' says Movistar boss
The UCI must invest in the bottom of the pyramid to ensure the sport’s future says Sebastián Unzué
-
Movistar quick to quash Mark Cavendish signing report
Italian press speculation over future of sprinter denied by Spanish team
-
BikeExchange safe from WorldTour relegation, no more 'scrapping over points to the death'
"The points system is clearly broken" says Matt White, team's head directeur sportif
-
Van Vleuten confirms her superiority with Ceratizit Challenge GC victory
Elisa Balsamo takes the final stage bunch kick on the Madrid circuit after consummate work from Trek-Segafredo
-
Silvia Persico takes Ceratizit Challenge stage victory after a tense aggressive final
Olympic champion Anna Kiesenhofer comes close to pulling off a repeat of her Tokyo triumph with a 158km solo break
