Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) has tipped Fabian Cancellara, and not himself, as the favourite to take the first pink jersey of the Giro d'Italia in Friday's time trial in Apeldoorn.
Dumoulin has been here before. It was less than a year ago that the Dutchman found himself on home soil, but at the Tour de France, with the expectations of a nation weighing on his shoulders. Cycling's most famous race would start with a time trial in Utrecht, and Dumoulin was widely tipped to become the first Dutchman in 25 years to don the maillot jaune - in front of a home audience.
“Everyone in Holland already thought I had the yellow jersey, and that was completely not realistic,” Dumoulin told Cyclingnews in hindsight.
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He was speaking in Apeldoorn ahead of the 2016 Giro d’Italia - another Grand Tour, another start in Holland, another time trial. That, naturally, has brought with it another bout of public attention, media demand, and national expectation.
Dumoulin concedes that he was “distracted” by everything that came with the Grand Départ last year but insists “that’s all a bit less” for this Grande Partenza. “Because I had that experience last year, my mental state is different.”
One of the main indications that his mindset is different is the manner he has approached his reconnaissance of the 9.8km Apeldoorn course. Whereas his preparations for Utrecht were meticulous – he travelled out in May to see it for the first time and studied it on several more occasions – this time the Giro is just two days away and he’s yet to cast eyes on the course.
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