BORA - hansgrohe planning to come good in the third week: "Hopefully can compete with the favourites”

Aleksandr Vlasov, Lennard Kamna and BORA - hansgrohe have had a solid if unspectacular start to the 2023 Giro d'Italia. For Vlasov, it's the third week where he is targeting to hit his peak.

“Now it is still about seconds, but in the third week there will be juggling minutes, I think," Vlasov said in a press conference as the riders enjoyed the first rest day of this year's Giro d'Italia. “I was maybe a little behind until now. But in the third week, when we reach the high mountains, it will probably be different, I hope. My form is growing, I feel better than at the beginning of the Giro. Hopefully, I can compete with the favourites.”

Finishing 8th on the stage 9 individual time-trial, Vlasov was content with his performance despite losing more time to his general classification rivals such as Primoz Roglic and the INEOS Grenadiers duo of Geraint Thomas and Tao Geoghegan Hart. “I lost a little over a minute, but it's okay,” he says. “I think I did a good time trial yesterday, I didn't lose much time. For me it was a very, very good result.”

Although race-favourite Remco Evenepoel's departure from the Giro due to a positive covid test may have opened the race up somewhat, Vlasov is quick to point out the competition is still fierce. “But there are still many strong riders and teams. For example, INEOS has a strong squad, as do Bahrain and UAE Emirates," he says. "So things are changing, but there are still plenty of strong competitors left.”