Giro d'Italia 2023: Tobias Foss says Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel in 'different league' from other riders

04.05.2023 - 13:39 eurosport.com

Tobias Foss says it is hard to look past Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) in the battle for the Giro d’Italia pink jersey.

Foss was originally due to line up at the Giro in support of his team-mate Roglic, but was ruled out of the grand tour after testing positive for Covid-19.

Ad Roglic was victorious in the Volta a Catalunya in March, with Evenepoel finishing as runner-up in the general classification despite winning the final stage.

Giro d'ItaliaRoglic's Giro support team in tatters as Jumbo-Visma hit by CovidYESTERDAY AT 08:43 With those performances in mind, Foss believes the duo will be a long way ahead of the rest of the field in Italy. “When you look at how they performed in Catalonia and how sharp they are on the time trial compared to the other overall riders, I struggle to see who will keep up with them physically,” Foss told Eurosport. “The only thing that can happen is if something unforeseen happens.

cycling Giro Alberto Contador Geraint Thomas Primoz Roglic Italy

Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) is “rolling back the years” and showing form similar to when he won the Tour de France in 2018, according to Eurosport expert Robbie McEwen. The Welshman soared into the maglia rosa on Stage 16 after finishing second behind Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) as the pair combined to expose cracks in Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma). Ad Although Almeida comfortably saw off Thomas in the sprint finale to take victory and maximum bonus seconds, it was the Ineos star who moved back into pink – two days shy of his 37th birthday.

Giro d’Italia 2023: Blow for Geraint Thomas as Pavel Sivakov abandons, Ineos down to just five riders

Geraint Thomas’ general classification hopes at the Giro d’Italia have suffered a big blow after Ineos Grenadiers team-mate Pavel Sivakov abandoned on Stage 16. Ineos had already lost 2020 champion Tao Geoghegan Hart to a fractured hip and Filippo Ganna to Covid. Ad Sivakov's departure leaves Thomas with just four support riders in the final week.

Primoz Roglic or Geraint Thomas (or Joao Almeida) – who will win the Giro d’Italia?

For all the drama at this year’s wet and wild Giro d’Italia, the general classification battle has been unavoidably underwhelming. Pre-race favourite Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) pulled out due to Covid ahead of the first rest day, just hours after surging into the leader’s pink jersey, while Ineos’ hopes of a twin GC threat unravelled when 2020 champion Tao Geoghegan Hart abandoned with a fractured hip after a freak crash on Stage 11.

Giro d'Italia 2023 Stage 14: Preview, how to watch, TV and live stream details, route map and profile for route

Stage 14 of the Giro d’Italia will see the riders begin in Sierre and cross the border into Switzerland, before making their way back towards Italy in a thrilling downhill finish. In contrast to the sharp climbs in Stage 13, there will only be one climb on Saturday in the ascent of Passo del Sempione.

Giro d'Italia 2023: Einer Rubio wins chaotic and shortened Stage 13 after thrilling Thibaut Pinot attacks

Emotions ran high in the Swiss ski resort of Crans Montana as Colombia’s Einer Rubio (Movistar) dug deep and kept a low profile on the final climb of a shortened Stage 13 of the Giro before catching out his fellow escapees Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) and Jefferson Cepeda (EF Education-EasyPost) with a magical turn of pace at the finish. French veteran Pinot and Ecuador’s Cepeda tore strips off each other and bickered incessantly during a thrilling final ascent, trading more blows than 10 rounds between Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed.

Mads Pedersen withdraws from 2023 Giro d'Italia after falling ill overnight, from second in points jersey standings

Mads Pedersen has withdrawn from the Giro d’Italia after becoming ill with a cough and throat infection. The Danish rider’s team, Trek-Segafredo confirmed the news on their Twitter account on Friday morning. Ad The team wrote: “Unfortunately we have to report that @Mads__Pedersen won’t take the start at today’s stage of the #Giro.