"I'm just calm, there are 3 weeks ahead" - Tao Geoghegan Hart rides surprisingly strong time-trial but focuses on bigger picture
Cycling
Tao Geoghegan Hart finished fourth in the opening time trial of the Giro d'Italia, 40 seconds behind Remco Evenepoel and 3 seconds better than Primoz Roglic. After the race he looked very calm, not giving too much importance to what happened on the first day day of the Giro d'Italia.
"It wasn't a bad performance, obviously a lot of big names had to come, but I'm happy with my performance. I'm happy with how I rode and with the time, no complaints at all," the Briton said. His expression was one of someone who was not too satisfied with his performance, but at the end of the day he was the third best-placed GC rider.
Because of the way he answered the questions, a journalist asked him if he was serious, if he was not happy: "No, nothing like that, I'm just calm, there are 3 weeks ahead, maybe you are excited, but we riders are calm, there are 8 days left until the rest day, I'm just focused on tomorrow's stage".
The INEOS Grenadiers rider was asked if it was a confirmation that he is in good shape, to which he replied somewhat reluctantly: "I don't know, maybe, it could be, it was a good time, what we expected, it was 20 minutes at high speed, I don't think it has anything to do with the days ahead".
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This stage however proved to be a brilliant start for Hart who is a major contender for the podium, and perhaps victory if Remco Evenepoel is unable to keep up the pace that he sustained today throughout the three weeks. INEOS have seen Geraint Thomas ninth on the day, but both Pavel Sivakov and Thymen Arensman shed around 1:30 minutes to the first pink jersey of the race.
Finally, he was asked at the finish line how he felt about being the only Giro winner among the participants. He played it down: "It doesn't mean anything, there are great riders with great races, there is the world champion, there are many riders with top 10 in the Giro, for me it's an honor, but nothing more."
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- for what?frieders311-11-2026
- Blah blah blah!frieders311-11-2026
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- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
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- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
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Let's go Tao!!!! That's a great ride from the Brit to go fastest by six seconds. Nice one, @taogeoghegan! It's heating up at the #Giro, with @GeraintThomas86 also under way on stage one.
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