There is a limit to how much can be extrapolated from the first 10 kilometres of a three-week race like the Giro d’Italia, especially when so much of what is ‘revealed’ is ultimately in the eyes of the beholder.
Indeed, in this instance, a large part of the takeaway from the 9.8km opening time trial in Apeldoorn depends on whether stage winner Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) should be classed – despite his protestations – as a genuine challenger for final overall victory in Turin.
Mikel Landa (Sky), for instance, would probably have settled for surrendering 21 seconds to Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) on Friday afternoon, but his performance takes on a different sheen when Dumoulin is brought into the equation.
ADVERTISEMENT
Put another way, Landa is already 40 seconds down on Dumoulin, and the Dutchman has another time trial, four times the length and better-suited to his talents, coming up in Chianti a week on Sunday.
“I don’t think I have the level to compete in the high mountains,” Dumoulin insisted after the stage, but there is nothing in the opening week of racing that ought to impede him unduly. Barring ill fortune, the Dutchman should be in the general classification shake-up at least as far as the first rest day – and he might even still be in pink.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://ift.tt/1WfeECP
No comments:
Post a Comment