Giro d’Italia: Geraint Thomas 'on cloud nine' and unlikely to tactically relinquish pink jersey - Luke Rowe
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ByEurosport
Updated 17/05/2023 at 17:32 GMT
Luke Rowe joined 'The Breakaway' after Stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia. The Ineos Grenadiers rider said that his team-mate Geraint Thomas was in a “great position”. And when it was put to him that Thomas may consider giving up the responsibilities of the maglia rosa, Rowe said he felt that the jersey gives riders an “extra few percent” and that he believes the Welshman can keep it until Rome.
'G is in a great position' - Rowe on Thomas
Geraint Thomas is unlikely to tactically give up the pink jersey, his Ineos Grenadiers team-mate Luke Rowe has said, adding that the Welshman is in a "great position” in the race.
Rowe, who is not riding the Giro, joined the latest episode of The Breakaway to discuss Stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia.
The stage was won by Germany’s Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates) on a day that general classification contender Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers) left the race in an ambulance after a freak crash that also saw team-mate Geraint Thomas and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) go down.
After the withdrawal of Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step), it leaves Thomas and Roglic - who were able to continue riding following the crash - as the two outstanding candidates to add the Giro to their palmares.
They are separated by just two seconds, with Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) at 22 seconds and Andreas Leknessund (Team DSM) at 35.
And The Breakaway team of Orla Chennaoui, Dan Lloyd, Robbie McEwen and Adam Blythe discussed the merits – and the responsibilities - of holding the pink jersey.
It was put to Rowe by McEwen that Thomas could relinquish it to Roglic and Jumbo Visma, forcing the added workload of protecting the maglia rosa on the Dutch team.
It was not something Thomas would consider, said Rowe.
“G is also in a great position,” Rowe began. “That jersey just gives you an extra few percent.
“And a lot of riders’ careers could be defined by wearing that jersey for one day. And I think it's just too special to give up here.
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Geraint Thomas | Giro d'Italia 2023
Image credit: Getty Images
“I think it's too special to give away and I don't think G will want to give it away.
“That would flip the coin on its head and put the workload on Jumbo.
“But essentially, I think G’s on cloud nine right now.
“He's got that pink jersey on his shoulders, and he'll want to keep it for as long as possible. And hopefully, and I believe so, until Rome.”
The Giro d’Italia continues on Thursday with the 179km Stage 12 from Bra to Rivoli – a lumpy ride that features two categorised climbs and could well favour a breakaway.
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