"Today is the most dangerous day of the Giro" - Campenaerts warns ahead of Vingegaard's biggest challenge at the Corsa Rosa

Victor Campenaerts has had a fantastic Giro d'Italia so far and will be a key part of Jonas Vingegaard's support crew on the queen stage of the race. With almost 5000 meters of climbing in just over 150 kilometers, the Belgian won't be in his favoured terrain but will be wearing his climbing shoes.

"I think Jonas has very good legs, but it's not like we're saying today that we absolutely have to win," Campenaerts shared with Sporza at the start of the stage. Early in the season Campenaerts' climbing level was astonishing, and he has continued that trend ever since.

Hence, he has become a more important rider for the Dane later in the races, and not the early pace setter or positioning guide that Vingegaard almost solely relied on. His work in the mountains has been just as important in the stages where the maglia rosa made the difference.

The team may aim to put Davide Piganzoli in the white jersey by the end of the day, as the Italian rider has only just over two minutes of disadvantage on Afonso Eulálio, a gap that can be closed on such a difficult day.

Jonas Vingegaard has said it himself that this is a smaller goal. But the ultimately priority of the team does not change: "We have one very high-profile goal, and that is to take the pink jersey to Rome. I think today is the most dangerous day of the Giro to lose it. So we are riding defensively".

The stage win is also up for grabs in Pianni di Pezzè, where Vingegaard could win the fifth mountain stage out of five. "Whether it is for the win or not, that is not what concerns us; defending the lead is. But extending the lead is always allowed,” Campenaerts concluded.