Abetone feels a long, long time ago. When the Giro d’Italia’s first summit finish on stage 5 saw Alberto Contador, Richie Porte and Fabio Aru test one another out with a series of attacks, the expectation was that, even at that early juncture, the contest had been reduced to a three-horse race.
Contador’s display in the stage 14 time trial may well have since divested the battle for the maglia rosa of much of its suspense, but the collapse of both Porte and Rigoberto Urán this weekend has thrust some unexpected names into contention for a place on the final podium in Milan next Sunday.
Chief among them is Andrey Amador (Movistar), who limited the damage better than most in the Valdobbiadene time trial, and then followed up that result with a battling display on the slopes of Madonna di Campiglio on Sunday, placing 6th on the stage to reach the Giro’s second rest day in third overall, 4:19 down on Contador.
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“It was quite a difficult day,” Amador said after wheeling to a halt past the finish line on Sunday. “The day after a time trial is always anxious, because you’re still suffering a bit after riding so hard in that position, but I got through it ok. I was a bit more worried about the penultimate climb [the Passo Daone – ed.] because it was so steep, but it went well.”
At 28 years of age, Amador has never been so highly-placed in a Grand Tour. His best overall finish to date remains his 29th place at the 2012 Giro, when he also won the stage to Cervinia, a mountain that the race revisits on Friday. The Costa Rican was understandably cautious about his prospects of staying in podium contention as the race enters its most demanding phase, estimating that a place in the top five would perhaps mark the very summit of his ambition.
“We’ll have to see day by day what I can do in the rest of the race. It’s going to be a tough final week,” Amador said. “I’m happy with where I am now and I’d like to stay up there on GC.”
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