Breakaway chances at Giro "depends a bit on what the other teams are doing and whether Remco Evenepoel wants to give away his jersey for a few days" - Domenico Pozzovivo

Domenico Pozzovivo was the only winner at the Giro d'Italia when it has arrived at Lago Laceno, 11 years ago already back in 2012. He is still in the peloton and with good climbing legs, but he believes repeating the feat would be very difficult and the day will most likely be decided within the day's breakaway.

“It can be a day for the breakaway. It depends a bit on what the other teams are doing and whether Remco Evenepoel wants to give away his jersey for a few days," Pozzovivo told Cyclingnews. “The number of riders capable of such performances has grown. Nowadays there are more riders who reach a level that was reached by maybe only ten riders in the peloton at the time. Now there are maybe thirty riders who can deliver such performances.”

The level is extremely high, however in the opening mountain stage of the Giro d'Italia over the last few years breakaways have often taken glory. If that is to happen this afternoon it would be the first breakaway win in a World Tour race this season, but there are good chances of that happening as Soudal - Quick-Step have expressed how they did not wish to lead the race and expend much energy early on. The tactics may revolve around letting someone in the breakaway pull on the pink jersey, with chances of another team taking responsibility throughout the day being low.

“There may be attacks from the favorites on the last climb, but I don't think they will make much of a difference. Unless Remco has the legs from last Saturday, of course," the veteran continues. "Then maybe he can unload everyone. It's a climb that has a gradient of over nine percent for a good three kilometers, but the fact that it flattens out a bit after the top can discourage attacks. Especially since there is still a long way to the finish across the plateau.”