The Tour of the Alps came to its grand conclusion in typical style on Friday with the overall classification contenders pushing each other to their limits with relentless attacking over multiple climbs. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) came out on top, beating Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain-Merida) and Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) by 15 seconds.
The five-day Italian race is short, not only in days but also in distance with stages coming in between 134 and 164 kilometres in length. While it is an entirely different prospect to the grind that can be a Grand Tour, it gave us a sneaking glimpse of what we might expect at the Giro d’Italia next month with most of the major contenders lining out in Ora last Monday.
Cyclingnews has taken a look back at the finer points of the Tour of the Alps and analyses what it means for the forthcoming corsa rosa.
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Chris Froome’s big ask
Chris Froome was unable to give Team Sky a fourth consecutive victory at the Tour of the Alps, but seeing how Richie Porte, Mikel Landa and Geraint Thomas all struggled in some way in recent years, he can perhaps hope the cycling gods are finally going to give him a break and a problem-free run at a first ever Giro d’Italia victory.
His salbutamol case hangs like a sword of Damocles above his career but Froome and Team Sky are convinced that the British rider has a real chance of completing a Giro-Tour double and are planning and preparing as a consequence.
A lot has changed for both Froome and Team Sky since he won the Tour and Vuelta last summer but they seem determined to put their heads down and ride on, despite pressure from UCI president David Lappartient, in the hope that some kind of miracle will explain his salbutamol level from the Vuelta and so avoid a ban from racing.
Less is more for Pinot
Astana versus Team Sky: the clash of the super teams
A tale of two races at Dimension Data
Aru hopes, Italy expects
Performances of note
Countdown to the Grand Partenza
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/what-the-tour-of-the-alps-tells-us-about-the-giro-ditalia
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