The Giro, like any Grand Tour, is a race of attrition, grit, resistance, luck and sheer determination that goes on for three weeks. The mental and physical demands are huge and some riders can deliver under this pressure. Others, albeit talented, crumble under the weight of expectation.
So it is that every year it becomes a lottery for the lucky and the healthy and the fit. Results, or lack of, before the race is not always a good indicator.
This article is not about Nibali, Roglic or Mollema, who are expected to do a good job as leaders and they have. This is about those athletes who have impressed the most or underperformed according to their skillsets (no comment on those who have left).
THE GOOD
RICHARD CARAPAZ (Movistar)
Although 4th last year, the Ecuadorian tends to be quiet the rest of the season, so his rise in the general classification is never a given. He climbs faster than anyone else and his initial brief might have been to be Landa's right-hand man on the mountains. But he has taken advantage of the main contenders playing cat and mouse, allowing him to grab the pink jersey on the two toughest stages. If he continues this way, as he's expected to lose time in the TT to both Roglic and Nibali, he could build enough of a gap to get on the podium in Verona.
RAFAL MAJKA (Bora Hansgrohe)
"His Cockiness" is back (remember the cheeky wink at the Tour?) and a bit more humble. Along with the rest of his team, the polish climber has finally found his mojo.
Description
Rafał has been struggling to find the strength he had in the past but he has been quietly sticking with the big guns without attacking just yet, but I expect him to try and pounce as soon as he sees some weakness. A podium is not beyond him.CESARE BENEDETTI (Bora Hansgrohe)
Cesare is the archetypal domestique. Always working relentlessly both for the designated sprinter or in the mountains. He works harder than most and has finally managed to win a stage. Bora are basking in confidence in the year their star rider, Sagan, has problems finding form.
PASCAL ACKERMANN (Bora Hansgrohe)
Ackermann's Giro attendance was debated to death before stage 1. Fans of his teammate Sam Bennett wanted the Irishman rather than the German in Bologna. They felt he had earned his place. That might have been so, but these decisions are often taken months in advance and with a German sponsor thrown in the mix Pascal had the go ahead. I felt Ackermann was the right choice and I feel many people now agree he's done well. He took the Maglia Ciclamino (the points jersey) after two solid wins and he might have had a third one had he not crashed on the final of stage 10. He's continuing until the end, unlike some other sprinters, and he'll try his hardest to take the jersey back from Demare.
Yet another first-timer who takes his first win at the tender age of 34. Domestiques don't get rewarded with glory very often. In the company of Androni's Cattaneo, they established a breakaway from the off and stayed away, almost caught in the final metres but with still a comfortable margin to cat and mouse their sprint.
JAN POLANC (UAE)
Then in a similar fashion with Polanc on stage 12. The Slovenian rider is still within sight of a top 10 spot at the end of the race.
PAVEL SIVAKOV (Ineos)
The young Russian has shot to fame by winning the Tour of the Alps (stage and overall) and he has shown amazing capabilities even though he's only 21. He keeps his cool and he's learning fast. The team behind him are lacking in strength and depth for him to be able to aim high though.
FAUSTO MASNADA (Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec)
The 25-year-old Italian will surely figure in a World Tour team next year. He is working very hard like the rest of his team and with a stage win and high up in GC, Fausto is definitely doing his sponsors (so many) proud.
GIULIO CICCONE (Trek Segafredo)
Finally, something to smile about for the Trek team. Although Mollema is doing a fairly good job, Giulio has been fighting for the mountains jersey since day one and he's almost certain to keep it until the end. He has been stoic in the pursuit for the Maglia Azzurra and a very active domestique for his leader.
THE NOT SO GOOD
ESTEBAN CHAVES (Mitchelton Scott)
The diminutive Colombian just can't find a stable condition. He has immense abilities but he lacks in consistency and mental strength. We're still waiting for him to fight for the podium as his climbing prowess suggests.
SIMON YATES (Mitchelton Scott)
Yates, unlike at the Vuelta, tends to have a very bad day at the Giro. It was spectacular last year, not quite as bad this year, but enough to either having to attack constantly or have incredible luck later on to be able to podium. He's too far back at the moment to be a threat.
MIGUEL ANGEL LOPEZ (Astana)
Lopez is starting to get the same reputation as Porte's. Talented but either distracted or unlucky and possibly overrated. But unlike Porte he's young and can turn things around. Like Yates, he now has to constantly attack to be able to do something with this Giro.
BOB JUNGELS (Deceuninck Quick-Step)
In my opinion, a classics rider who could keep challenging for monuments or even stage wins, but instead keeps trying at Grand Tour GC. He's not where he could be. He needs to decide one way or another and stick with that decision.
BEN O'CONNOR (Dimension Data)
Yes he is still young, but the expected progress is not happening. He's, like Jungels, in no man's land. He's a reflection of his team who have not called any shots at this Giro as yet. Never in the top 10 of any stage, he can hope to have a good day and startle the big names. Improbable.
MIKEL LANDA (Movistar)
His old school style is endearing to many of his fans, and there are lots of them. But to me, his complete lack of TT skill is irritating at best. I get it, not everyone is going to be good at TT, but by the way he rides them it suggests he doesn't spend any time on that bike. Many riders before im have improved enough not to lose minutes. He often attacks but to no avail (successful at times too). But it makes him look aggressive and that's what his fans want. Fair enough but I feel his potential is overrated. Unlike Carapaz, he needs over 3 minutes to get to him, then another 2 or 3 to stay ahead after the Verona TT. Not likely.
28 of the 176 starters have withdrawn from the Giro so far (16%). They are:
BAHRAIN MERIDA (1): Koren
BARDIANI CSF (2): Barbin; Orsini
CCC (2): Mareczko; Ten Dam
EF (2): Modolo; Breschel
DECEUNINCK QUICK-STEP (2): Knox; Viviani
DIMENSION DATA (2): Nizzolo; Renshaw
GROUPAMA FDJ (1): Konovalovas
INEOS (1): Geoghean HartJUMBO VISMA (1): De Plus
KATUSHA ALPECIN (1): Navarro
LOTTO SOUDAL (4): Ewan; De Buyst; Kluge; Vanendert
NIPPO-VINI FANTINI-FAIZANÈ (2): Lonardi; Nishimura
SUNWEB (4): Dumoulin; Oomen; Power; Vervaeke
TREK SEGAFREDO (1): Moschetti
UAE (2): Gaviria; Molano
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