This was Italy at its finest, with the principal players lined up for one last piece of drama. Geraint Thomas versus Primož Roglič, with the specially-laid concrete track rising up to 1,744m the perfect setting as we all speculate how this is going to turn out.
Their respective histories proceed them and there are no tricks left in the book of racing that haven’t been applied to their respective careers. Between them, every box has been ticked, good and not so good, and this showdown is no different.
Thomas, steady as we go, has been reliable and consistently good. If there was anyone who would finish off a race as expected, it was him. At 37 he’s en route to be the oldest ever winner. It’s not quite his to lose, but there’s been nothing to suggest otherwise.
In the opposing corner, Roglič with three Vueltas to his name, has been brilliant on his day and shaky elsewhere, something we’ve come to expect as the years have gone by. In a race plagued by incidents and accidents, he’s always involved when something happens.
Indeed, both of them have amassed misfortunes aplenty. The mere mention of their names conjures up images of crashes and upsets, any race, any time. But they’ve got this far, even as all around them have succumbed to disasters. Amazingly, they’ve got back up from their inevitable visits to the tarmac and one of them will surely win the 106th Giro. This fourth Saturday is what we’ve waited for.
Splendid in the climber’s jersey, Thibaut Pinot, retirement looming, has one eye focused on being back home on the farm and the other on a farewell stage win. He could possibly be the diversionary subplot of the day. Most people have cats, dogs or something domesticated, the Frenchman has strayed slightly from the norm with a menagerie of horns and hoofs but that just adds to the charm. Human interest in the modern era doesn’t have to be Strava uploads and sleep quality data.
This is classic stuff, and RCS have planned it all perfectly. Even though it would have been nice to have had a few more sunny days and spectacular vistas, the third week has built from rain-soaked to this crescendo of excitement: Thomas, Roglič, redemption.
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