Richard Carapaz may have seized the maglia rosa on Stage 14 at the Giro d’Italia but Ineos Grenadiers will be “asking questions of themselves” after he was isolated, according to Dan Lloyd on The Breakaway, while Bradley Wiggins suggested the Ecuadorian rode with an “element of fear”. Ineos are renowned for protecting their GC leader at Grand Tours with their fabled train making it near-impossible for any rivals to attack off the front. Ad/> So it was a surprise when an early move from Bora-hansgrohe shredded the peloton, including the majority of the Ineos team, with only Pavel Sivakov able to offer any semblance of support to Carapaz.
Giro d'ItaliaYates, Carapaz and him?! – Five big winners from Stage 14 thriller2 HOURS AGO Sivakov soon fell too as Bora’s brutal pace on the front continued through Wilco Kelderman, with a pack of GC hopefuls scattered down the road. Carapaz was persistent and, despite the lack of support, hung in the Bora slipstream before launching a solo attack with 28km remaining once Kelderman had finally peeled off. It looked as though he would soar unopposed into pink as overnight leader Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo) wilted behind, but while he impressed going uphill, his descending appeared too cautious to build a lasting gap.
And Wiggins, Eurosport’s roving reporter on the motorbike at the Giro, suggested Carapaz looked “nervous” despite his 25-second advantage. “He doesn’t look as comfortable and as confident as when he first attacked,” said Wiggins as he looked back at Carapaz with 19km to go. “He’s making his ground up when he’s on the climb, he’s clearly the strongest rider.
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