Two stage wins, two riders in the top 10: The German team Bora-hansgrohe has been convincing at the Giro d’Italia so far.
Lennard Kämna and Emanuel Buchmann were in a great mood, and that was not only due to the well-deserved rest day in the seaside resort of Montesilvano on the Italian Adriatic coast. The German duo of the Bora-hansgrohe team took it easy on Monday during a relaxed training session – and proudly reviewed what they had achieved so far.
Two stage victories on mountain finishes by Kämna and Jai Hindley, plus the Australian and Buchmann in the top 10 in the overall standings: The top German team is right on target just before halftime in the 105th Giro d’Italia. “If you add up the successes in mountain arrivals, it’s 2-0 for Bora,” said team boss Ralph Denk to “SID” on Monday: “It was a good start, we already have a lot on the credit side.”
Fifth in the ranking, Hindley is only 20 seconds behind the Spanish leader Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo). In ninth place (+ 1:09 minutes), Buchmann is also within striking distance of the pink jersey, also because the climbing specialist fought back energetically when he arrived at the Blockhaus on Sunday.
Bora’s big goal of having a driver on the podium in Verona on May 29 remains realistic despite the series of technical breakdowns for the third Bora captain Wilco Kelderman (24./+ 11:02). “We look from day to day. It doesn’t look so bad,” said Denk: “But the Giro will be decided in the third week, like in the last few years. A few seconds quickly become a few minutes.”
The former tour fourth Buchmann and Hindley want to get through the easier second week healthy and without falling. “There are a few stages where it’s just a matter of sitting in the field, eating, drinking and not falling,” said sporting director Rolf Aldag.
In principle, this also applies to Kämna. The 25-year-old, who shone on the fourth stage with the victory on Mount Etna, will be given significantly more freedom and should be able to hunt for stages again. “It’s a preference for him to be in a breakaway again,” said Aldag.
Bora does not want to “fall into euphoria”
Bora subordinated everything to success in the overall classification and the hunt for stage wins in hilly terrain this year at the Giro. The team does without a sprinter. So far, the strong Ineos team around Olympic champion Richard Carapaz has set the tone in the mountains, but Bora is keeping up remarkably well. “But we won’t fall into euphoria and make mistakes now,” said Denk.
The bumpy preparation could prove to be a blessing in disguise. Buchmann and Hindley struggled with illnesses in the weeks leading up to the start of the Tour of Italy but could be in top form by the final. “That would be our ideal scenario, that some came into the Giro in top form and got worse at the back, while our riders still have reserves and are building up,” said Aldag.