Giro d'Italia 2023: Tobias Foss says Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel in 'different league' from other riders
/dnl.eurosport.com/sd/img/placeholder/eurosport_logo_1x1.png){kind=logo}
Published 04/05/2023 at 13:07 GMT
Tobias Foss says Remco Evenepoel of Team Soudal Quick-Step and Primoz Roglic of Team Jumbo-Visma as the two main challengers for the pink jersey at the Giro d'Italia. The duo most recently locked horns in the Volta a Catalunya last month, where Roglic was victorious but was pushed hard by Remco Evenepoel, who claimed a final stage victory. Stage 1 of the Giro d'Italia begins on May 6.
'A great week!' - Roglic celebrates Volta a Catalunya triumph and 'big honour'
Tobias Foss says it is hard to look past Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) in the battle for the Giro d’Italia pink jersey.
Foss was originally due to line up at the Giro in support of his team-mate Roglic, but was ruled out of the grand tour after testing positive for Covid-19.
Roglic was victorious in the Volta a Catalunya in March, with Evenepoel finishing as runner-up in the general classification despite winning the final stage.
With those performances in mind, Foss believes the duo will be a long way ahead of the rest of the field in Italy.
“When you look at how they performed in Catalonia and how sharp they are on the time trial compared to the other overall riders, I struggle to see who will keep up with them physically,” Foss told Eurosport.
“The only thing that can happen is if something unforeseen happens. There is a big break going and someone could be a dark horse for the jersey.
“These things happen a lot in the Giro. But it seems that Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel are in a completely different league to everyone else, so I will be very surprised if anyone else manages to hang in there and match them at all stages.”
Those thoughts were echoed by Eurosport's Alberto Contador, who assessed Geraint Thomas's chances of winning the maglia rosa following his 15th-place finish in the Tour of the Alps.
"Geraint Thomas is a rider of tremendous quality," Contador said.
"We all know this, having seen the great results he has obtained, especially that victory at the Tour de France.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2023/03/26/3669857-74706073-2560-1440.jpg)
'What a race!' - Watch thrilling finale as Evenepoel takes Stage 7 win from overall champion Roglic
"But going by today, especially as we see his recent results for example at the Tour of the Alps, I think it is complicated that Thomas will be battling for the Giro d’Italia with Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel.
"Two riders that are peaking right now, that seem to be flying and winning in most races they take part in. It’s tough for me to see Thomas at that same level.
"I think a good Giro for Thomas would be to be close to Remco and Roglic, competing with them."
Stage 1 begins on May 6, running between Costa dei Trabocchi (Fossacesia Marina) and Ortona in what will be the first of 21 stages.
- - -
Stream the 2023 cycling season live and on-demand on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement