"If INEOS want to win the race, today is going to be the day" - Luke Plapp previews Giro d'Italia's queen stage
Cycling
This Sunday afternoon holds the Queen Stage of the 2024 Giro d'Italia. Many people with hold ambitions of taking a career-defining victory. According to the Australian though, it's the INEOS Grenadiers who hold the key to the day's racing.
After finishing 5th on the stage 14 individual time-trial, Plapp's GC ambitions have faded and the Australian National Champion switches his attention to hunting stages and helping Filippo Zana secure top-10 on GC. "It was a really good TT. To finish 5th, I was really satisfied. When I crossed the line I thought it was going to be up there so to go back to the hotel and watch everyone finish, it was nice to see where I was," reflects Plapp pre-stage 15 to Cycling Pro Net. "I think you want to be at 100% percent today. It's probably going to be a stage where I'll have this story for the rest of my career I think. It could live up to those sorts of expectations. Close to seven hours and a lot of climbing... I hope I'm feeling good."
Although Tadej Pogacar is now more than three and a half minutes into the Maglia Rosa, the likes of the INEOS Grenadiers and BORA - hansgrohe still hold slim hopes of pulling off a shock overhaul. "In my opinion, if INEOS want a chance to win the race, today is going to be the day," Plapp says of his former employers. "I think there's potential they could take it up and make it a really high calorie day. Against Tadej, if you're going to win, it's going to be today."
"We'll see what happens. If they don't take it up then yeah, UAE Team Emirates will control it or the breakaway will win," Plapp concludes his assessment. "It could go either way. It could be a really, really hard stage from the start if INEOS take it on or BORA even with Martinez, but they don't have support riders. If they don't, I think the breakaway wins."
Trouble is that Sheffields crash in the TT will weaken INEOS on the climbs where as a team they are not that strong in any case and I can't see them sacrificing Arensman when he is so high on GC. It looks more to me that INEOS, Bora, Bahrain and even Decathlon will not try anything until the last 5km. That is if there is any of them left at the front of the race with 5km to go. I hope I am wrong and one of the above teams do have a go. Not too long to wait now!
You may be right, I’m gonna go get my ride done before they start. Update: Had a flat after 5k so it’s postponed to tonight, hopefully a sign from Karma that something’s going to happen today ;-)
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