Giro d'Italia: Geraint Thomas reveals Ineos plans ahead of final mountain stages - 'It'd be amazing'
Published 24/05/2024 at 12:51 GMT+1
What does the finale to the 2024 Giro d'Italia have in store? Tadej Pogacar has swept all before him so far, but a devilish mountain day awaits on Saturday, and those riders behind the Slovenian could yet eye some success. Geraint Thomas has revealed the ambitions of his Ineos Grenadiers team, with the Briton lying third on GC, and team-mate Thymen Arensman not far back in sixth.
Thomas warns of need to be 'on guard' ahead of Stage 19 test
Video credit: TNT Sports
Geraint Thomas says that his Ineos Grenadiers team have twin aims as the Giro d'Italia reaches its conclusion.
Just two final mountain days await the pack before the processional passage around Rome on Sunday.
Tadej Pogacar - barring incident - might have the general classification all but sewn up with his current lead of 7'42", but there remain goals for other riders and teams to achieve, as Thomas detailed.
"For myself, it's two big days now, and Saturday is the biggest," the Briton said on his 'Watts Occurring' podcast.
"Saturday is just a solid day. It's two times up Monte Grappa, 18km around 8%, I think.
"It's a tough climb. The hardest bit's at the top, as well. It's not crazy altitude, but you know, it's a good hour's climbing. The last ten minutes are the hardest.
"[It will] definitely [be] a big, big day. We'll certainly try and end on a high."
He added: "The plan is to try and get the best result possible for both of us [Thomas and team-mate Thymen Arensman, the latter sat sixth on GC].
"Obviously if I can move up to second, and he [Arensman] can take the white [jersey], it'd be amazing, you know?
"Of course that's what we'll try to do."
Thomas will celebrate his 38th birthday on Saturday as he reaches the autumn of his career, one that he has said he will "95%" bring to a close at the end of next season.
"I'm feeling every one of those years at the minute," he said. "It's been intense. This race has been intense.
"The Giro is anyway, but it'll be nice not to have a radio in my ear telling me about a technical section coming up, or this, or that, or rain.
"A Grand Tour these days is… phwoar."
Stage 19 takes the riders on a 157km route from Mortegliano to Sappada in the Dolomites.
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Stream the cycling season, including the Giro d'Italia, live and on-demand on discovery+
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