Alberto Contador explains how the signs were there before Remco Evenepoel's Giro d'Italia departure: "His face after the stage didn't really look good"

The race-rocking news that Remco Evenepoel was being forced to abandon the Giro d'Italia after testing positive for covid came as a shock for many. Alberto Contador however, believed the signs were there following recent stages.

“For example on stage eight, the day Primoz Roglic tested himself in the final, Remco couldn't keep up with Primoz Roglic, Geraint Thomas and Tao Geoghegan Hart," the former two-time Giro d'Italia winner and now Eurosport analyst recapped. "We don't know if that's because he had to recover from his efforts, but we also saw that in the 35km time trial, which on paper was perfect for him as a specialist, he went from good to mediocre. In addition, his rivals kept the same level and Roglic even improved."

The absence of Evenepoel from the remainder of the Giro d'Italia is without a doubt a blow to the race. According to Contador though, the sign of something not quite being right was written all over the face of the Soudal - Quick-Step leader. "Obviously we don't know how much of an effect covid has had on him, but his face after the stage didn't really look good."

The new Maglia Rosa is Geraint Thomas, a rider who has famously struggled to complete three-week Grand Tours without incident or bad luck and Contador is praying he doesn't suffer once again. "The Giro is completely different now, because Thomas also has a good team around him with Pavel Sivakov in the top ten and Thymen Arensman who rides well," he explains. "I'm sure Thomas didn't necessarily want the jersey at the moment, but that's the situation. Of course, we saw that in 2017 and 2020, when he had to leave the race due to crashes while the course was running perfectly for him."