"I was struggling to breathe properly" - Ethan Hayter survives through difficult Giro debut

Ethan Hayter has in the past year and a half been struggling through many races, but this being due to positioning. However at this Friday's opening stage of the Giro d'Italia, the British champion struggled with stomach issues and had a very difficult task just to finish the stage.

"I wasn't feeling too good to be honest, I was getting so bloated I was struggling to breathe properly. I'll see how I go. You know, with your stomach not being right, you struggle to eat and drink properly, so we'll see," he told Cyclingnews. 

It was a disastrous day for Soudal - Quick-Step, with it's leader abandoning due to a very rough crash: "I just heard Mikel is out, and that's a big shame to be honest, for the next few weeks. So yeah... Not the best start."

Hayter is a rider well suited to all stages of the opening weekend of the race, but with his current health struggle it's hard to imagine he will contest for a strong result there. "I've not been as good as I would have liked to be, if I'm completely honest, I'd like to be competing for wins a bit more, and I've just not quite been good enough to do that yet".

"I've been able to help my teammates, which has been a nice thing to do, but having had a couple of illnesses and ups and downs, I've not really found my rhythm yet," he admits. "I've not had the ideal run in really, but I'll have a good day in the TT hopefully". 

"I think I've come into the race quite fresh, really, as I needed to recover after Basque Country and Catalunya. I did Brabantse Pijl afterwards too, but I didn't exactly know I was coming here, so hopefully I can build through the race and be good," the Briton concluded.