Giro d'Italia - Vincenzo Nibali: My focus is not only on Fuglsang but also on Kelderman and Kruijswijk
Oct 13 2020 04:31 am CET
Photo of Vincenzo Nibali by Trek-Segafredo
Vincenzo Nibali (Trek-Segafredo) has discussed the shape of his main rivals in the Giro d'Italia and the challenges the weather may present for the rest of the race.
Just before the start of the second week of competition in the Italian grand tour, the former champion sits in the fifth position of the general classification, 57 seconds behind the wearer of the Maglia Rosa Joao Almeida. But the "Shark" knows who are the rivals he has to keep an eye on.
"My focus is not only on [Jakob] Fuglsang but also on [Wilco, Ed.] Kelderman and [Steven, Ed.] Kruijswijk," said Nibali. "The Dutchman can grow [strong] again and arrive in condition in the third week. I have great consideration for Fuglsang, but the focus is on all rivals.
"It’s difficult to make a comparison between all GC contenders. Kelderman is the one who has showed a great condition so far, he showed it on Etna, and also yesterday on the final climb he was ready. Immediately behind, I saw Fuglsang going well."
The winner of the 2013 and 2016 editions of the race also fears the weather and its effect not only in the continuation of all the stages, but also in the bodies of the contenders. "The risk of adverse weather in the third week may actually be a problem, but not only for me," he mentioned. "I also believe that RCS has made alternative plans for the arrival at altitude. I have some concerns, but we’ll see day after day to know the evolution and to decide our strategies accordingly.
"I have always preferred long climbs and of course, without these, the approach to the race could change a lot. This, however, is not only for me but also for the other contenders. At the moment it’s however a very difficult element to evaluate, we have to wait and see how it plays out. The resistance to low temperatures might be a determining factor for this Giro. We must take this into great consideration because all the riders have a very low percentage of body fat. Covering yourself well at the right time will be very important. And then, you have to manage the food supply in the race because with cold weather the energy expenditure increases significantly."
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