Two hours of training with the special bike for today's time trial: on yesterday's rest day, the day after the great feat on the Blockhaus that brought him to the squad, Nairo Quintana left nothing to chance in view of a test which sees super favorite Tom Dumoulin, the Dutch third in the standings exactly half a minute behind the Colombian. A margin that is not reassuring as regards the defense of the pink jersey today, but the mountains to face in the last week of the Giro leave the Condor calm, who has improved considerably in the last two years, even in the time trials.
Today's fraction of almost 40 km from Foligno to Montefalco is entirely in Umbria: a mixed route, flat for the first 12 km, then the road begins to climb with average gradients of 4-5% up to the Madonna delle Grazie, then descent and again mostly flat before the finish line at the end of a steep ramp of 200 metres. Eyes on Dumoulin, author with Thibaut Pinot of a splendid race on the Blockhaus, where they finished just 24” behind Quintana: he is the most popular runner by bookmakers who quote him 1,50.
He is followed at a great distance by the former pink jersey Bob Jungels at 7,50 and Vasil Kiryenka at 8,50. Pinot is given at 12,50 on a par with Luis Leon Sanchez: even the Frenchman, who is a solid grimpeur, could take advantage of today's time trial to gain precious seconds on Quintana who is given at 50 on a par with Nibali. For his part, the Shark, who lost his first battle on the Blockhaus but not the Giro, will look for every opportunity to get back on track, perhaps finding allies in the race like Dumoulin, Pinot or Mollema themselves.
To observe what Adam Yates and the men of Team Sky, Geraint Thomas and Mikel Landa, who arrived late and battered in the Blockhaus stage, will also do. For Landa, retirement was also feared but the tests he underwent in hospital ruled out any fracture. Probably, even if now detached by almost half an hour from Quintana, the Basque will continue the race.
