Ineos Grenadiers have won 12 Grand Tours in their history and with Geraint Thomas in the maglia rosa before the decisive mountain stages of this year’s Giro d’Italia, the British super team like their chances for overall victory.
Thomas took back the maglia rosa on Monte Bondone on Tuesday, impressing with the way he and Almeida gained 25 seconds on Roglič.
He leads João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) by just 18 seconds, with Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) at 29 seconds, with two big mountain stages and mountain top finishes in the Dolomites to race and then the final decisive mountain time trial to Monte Lussari.
“It’s good to have the maglia but the goal is to win the Giro d’Italia,” lead directeur sportif Matteo Tosatto told Cyclingnews and the Cycling Podcast, focused on the final objective and keen to boost the morale of his leader and riders.
“Now the top five on GC is clear, now it’s important to stay calm. Tomorrow and Friday are super hard days, then there’s the time trial. I’ve got a lot of confidence in Geraint.”
Team manager Rod Ellingworth has known Thomas since he was a talented Junior. He came through the Great Britain under-23 Academy managed by Ellingworth and they have been through the highs and lows of Thomas’ long career together.
Ellingworth has been closely involved and present in most of Ineos Grenadiers Grand Tour victories and is a reassuring presence at the team bus without putting everyone under extra pressure.
“Every Grand Tour is a fight to the very end and especially so the Giro and especially this one with the final time trial. What is good about Geriant is that his feet are firmly on the floor, he’s not thinking the race is done even though he has the pink jersey,” Ellingworth told Cyclingnews.
Thomas will turn 37 during Thursday’s stage but appears to have rolled back the years to 2018 when he won the Tour de France.
His performance on Monte Bondone was one of Thomas’ best on a long hard climb, yet Ineos Grenadiers are quietly confident he was not at his very limit and can do even better on Thursday and Friday.
“With G it’s all about his mental state of mind,” Ellingworth explained.
“Some older guys get tired of training and racing and moan about young guys pushing their way into the peloton. Geriant has never complained about that, he just does his own thing and his own race.”
Taking on Roglič and Almelda
Tosatto has not directed Thomas at a lot of races but trust has developed between them. Tosatto rode 34 Grand Tours during his…
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