"I rode my best hour ever" - Ganna puts Giro d'Italia time trial rivals on notice as he targets victory

Filippo Ganna exudes confidence as he goes into Tuesday's Giro d'Italia stage 10 - a 42 kilometer flat time trial. A specialist against the clock, the stage seems almost tailor-made for him and he finds himself the big favourite to take an eighth Giro stage win.

The Italian powerhouse is synonymous with time trials over the past decade, earning 31 professional victories in the discipline as he swept up two world championships wins. The Netcompany Ineos rider enjoyed some success in spring and showed his power to jump from the peloton late to win Dwars door Vlaanderen.

After misfortune hampered his Paris Roubaix, Ganna took time away from racing to prepare for the Giro and target some big goals. The first of them comes on Tuesday afternoon in the time trial.

“I knew that in the early part of the race I wouldn’t find terrain that suited me too well,” Ganna told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I knew I had to get to this time trial, my first big goal. It is very fast, on roads I know well and where I have already celebrated several times in Tirreno-Adriatico. The winner’s average speed will be high. After that, I’ll also go hunting for a victory in a road stage."

The 29-year-old has big Giro plans, even going as far as to say that he wants three stage wins from this edition, an achievement that would bring him to an impressive ten wins at his home grand tour.

And home is the word for Ganna. Friday's 13th stage finishes close to his hometown in Verbania. However, it's a tricky stage that would require Ganna to survive a late 4.7 kilometer climb at a sharp 7% gradient.

“I’m aiming for three wins and I want to reach ten,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while. I don’t know if I’ll manage it, but rest assured: I’m going to try. Friday is obviously my day, with the finish in Verbania, practically at home.”

Confidence flows from Ganna as he spoke ahead of stage 10. The Italian suggested his shape is good and that he even recorded a personal best one hour effort last week in the rain-soaked Potenza stage, while also admitting that he is riding at a higher weight than his previous career peaks.

“When I went in the break with Bettiol on Saturday, my numbers were very good. And on the day of the heavy rain towards Potenza, I rode my best hour ever. Of course, I no longer weigh what I did in 2020 or 2021. I’m carrying 87 kilos around with me, which is... not easy to manage on the climbs. But I carry them with pride."