ASIAGO, Italy (VN) — Anything can happen in the Giro d’Italia and nothing is certain, says Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb).
The tall Dutchman from Maastricht sits fourth overall at 53 seconds. Several insiders consider him the favorite to win the 100th edition of the Italian tour when it ends in the shadows of Milan’s Duomo cathedral Sunday afternoon.
Nairo Quintana (Movistar) leads the overall by 39 seconds on Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) and 43 on Thibaut Pinot (FDJ). Dumoulin stands above all when those inside the corsa rosa predict the 2017 victor. After all, Dumoulin finished second only to Fabian Cancellara in the Olympic time trial and won one in the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in 2016.
“It’s quite a big gap, I definitely need a good day to get that gap,” Dumoulin said.
“It’s not going to be time difference like the last time trial. I know that and it’s been a very hard three weeks. I’m very tired, and that makes for a very weird TT tomorrow.”
In the last time trial, Dumoulin rode his way into the pink jersey. He rode 2:53 into Quintana over the 39.8 kilometers, 2:42 into Pinot and 2:07 into Nibali.
“I’m just going to focus on my own ride tomorrow, then we’ll see after the finish what it’s worth,” Dumoulin added.
“It could be possible, but after three weeks of racing, after a hard week in the mountains like this, anything can happen tomorrow.”
Dumoulin lost time on the Stelvio mountain stage and suffered in Friday’s stage to Piancavallo, but always kept control. Saturday in stage 20, he managed himself well while Quintana climbed clear with Nibali and Pinot. Behind, he found help from Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo), Adam Yates (Orica-Scott), and Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors) – seventh through ninth in the classification.
“I’m happy that I’m mentally and physically much better than yesterday. I’m forever thankful and grateful for the work Bauke Mollema, Bob Jungels, and Adam Yates did for me today,” Dumoulin added.
“You collaborated with like objectives? Yeah, but they were pretty much not really fighting anymore for spots on GC because they are pretty much fixed in their spots on GC so it was also definitely to help me. So I’m very happy with that and very thankful.”
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