"We are not talking about Geraint Thomas who won the Tour" - Alberto Contador believes podium is best INEOS leader can hope for at Giro d'Italia

When it comes to viable contenders to Tadej Pogacar at the 2024 Giro d'Italia, INEOS Grenadiers leader Geraint Thomas is seen by many as the most likely challenger. According to Alberto Contador however, even the former Tour de France-winning Welshman will only be fighting for second and third.

"I think Thomas is going to fight for the podium and for second place in the general classification," says Contador, a two-time Giro d'Italia winner in his own right to Eurosport. "The Thomas from the present, we are not talking about Thomas who won the Tour in the past... I think he is not able to compete with Pogacar, who is now unbeatable."

After spending much of the race in the Maglia Rosa last year, Thomas eventually lost out to Primoz Roglic by just 14 seconds after the general classification was shifted on the stage 20 individual time-trial. In the opinion of Contador though, Tadej Pogacar is just so good that no one will be able to come close to the UAE Team Emirates leader in the coming weeks.

"No one will be able to stand up against Pogacar in normal conditions, unless he has a mechanical problem, a disease or a fall, which I hope it doesn’t happen," the Spaniard explains. "How will he race? I think he will go out for all. I believe that Pogacar, on the first day on the Col della Maddalena... if he starts carefully, then he can be leader on the first day of the Giro. "If I were Pogacar [on Stage 1] - and I say this seated in my house, not on the bicycle in Italy with incredible legs - I say, 'hey, why can’t I win?' Perhaps he is interested in minimising efforts, especially in the last week, thinking about the Tour de France."