Cyrille Guimardback for his column on Cyclism’News ! Four days before the big start of the 105 edition of the Tour of Italy (6-29 May) in Budapest, on Druid returned to the great widths on the stakes of this first grand tour of the 2022 season. The route, its favorites for the general classification, the French chances of shining on the Italian roads, with in particular Romain Bardet (DSM-Team), William Martin (Cofidis) and Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ)… Theformer sports director Bernard Hinault delivered a comprehensive analysis of the transalpine race. He also evokes the potential return ofEgan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) to compete in the coming weeks.
Video – The Guimard Chronicle before the 105th Giro d’Italia begins
« I think Richard Carapaz and Joao Almeida will play the leading roles »
Cyrille, the 105th edition of the Tour of Italy begins this Friday, May 6. Do you think we will vibrate on Italian roads?
Having studied almost all the steps, I would say yes. There is a course that allows you to have a movement race between climbers and adventurers. The sprinters, on the other hand, are a bit of the poor relation on this Giro. But there are all the ingredients to have a good race and twists and turns.
Who do you see as the big favourite, between Carapaz, Yates, Bilbao…?
It’s quite difficult to say. (Richard) Carapaz can act as number one. (Joao) Almeida seems to me well equipped to be able to play in this court there. The race will undoubtedly revolve around them. And then there’s also the Bahrain team, with (Wout) Poels, (Mikel) Landa, (Pello) Bilbao… I think it’s them who will have the collective control over this edition. But I still think it will be Carapaz and Almeida who will play the leading roles.
No Simon Yates?
At the moment it is doing very well. But we have already seen it fly, then lie down in the last days on the Giro. If he’s grown a little bit mature and powerful – I think he’s gotten a little bit wiser than he was four years ago – then yes, you can put him among the favourites. But his team is still not the strongest of the pack.
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« Given the opposition, Romain Bardet must play for a place on the podium »
What about the French? Can they aim for a top 5?
Can the French play a role in this Giro? We actually have two riders who can claim the general classification. Guillaume Martin is consistent and will be on courses that suit him. But our best chance is certainly Romain Bardet. We have seen him for some time, he has matured, he has a lot of serenity. He seems happy to ride a bike, even if there was the story of Liège-Bastogne-Liège which disturbed him a little. Not just him, but the whole peloton. I see him well as Roman, given the opposition on this Giro. For me he has to play for a place on the podium.
You were talking about sprinters earlier. What about Arnaud Démare? After a disappointing start to the season, can he do the Giro 2020 again, with four victories and the Cyclamen jersey?
Already, four victories, it will be difficult since there must be four sprint finishes in all. So we would have to win all four, that seems complicated to me. Especially since among the sprinters present, there is still Caleb Ewan who is doing very well, and (Mark) Cavendish with (Davide) Ballerini. That said, there aren’t many sprinters on this Giro. But we must not miss these four stages which must end with a sprint. I also see four other stages where the sprinters can be present, in competition with the adventurers. But often in Italy, on this type of course, it is the adventurers who have the last word. Because on the Giro, the Italians are used to finding a few small hills to climb in the last 20 or 30 kilometers. Fast runners like Arnaud Démare will not be to their advantage there compared to others who go relatively fast.
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— Groupama-FDJ Cycling Team (@GroupamaFDJ) October 25, 2020
« At the youth level, there is hardly anyone on this Giro. Only old people! »
We often see revelations about the Giro, Tao Geoghegan Hart in 2020 for example. Do you see a runner emerging this year in the next three weeks of racing?
For the moment, on the starting list of riders, I would say no, not particularly. We could talk about (Mathieu) Van der Poel, but he is no longer really one of the riders who can prove himself. He has already proven a lot. No, I don’t see a runner that we could pull out of the hat, like Almeida 2 years ago. It seems complicated to me. A priori, the very young were not favored by their teams on this Giro. I was looking at the startlist, at the youth level, there is hardly anyone. What old people! (Alejandro) Valverde, (Joaquin) Rojas, it’s still not the youngest, Cavendish either. (Tanel) Kangert, (Bauke) Mollema, (Diego) Ulissi, Rui Costa… The younger generation like (Juan) Ayuso and company are not there. It is true that they are only 18 years old. And then the others are on the Tour de France. Apart from Egan Bernal.
« The Giro does not have extraordinary media coverage »
It’s the first grand tour of the year, and yet we don’t talk about it much. The effect of leaving for Budapest?
It must be said that there was a lot of news too! Especially with the classics. There have also been some modifications in the programs which mean that the Giro does not have extraordinary media coverage. Is it the fact that he leaves from Budapest? I don’t know… It may also be the fact that in France, we couldn’t follow him last year. He wasn’t on television, so he doesn’t exist. This may be one of the reasons why we are not particularly passionate about this Giro. We will hope that Romain Bardet and Guillaume Martin make sure that the French are interested in it. They are the ones who have the key.
Budapest awaits 2022 Giro d’Italia Grande Partenza!
The countdown in the Hungarian capital has been unveiled, placed in Heroes’ Square in Budapest, where the first stage of the Corsa Rosa will start on May 6@TISSOT #giro #GrandePartenza #StayTuned pic.twitter.com/Z7OZFY1PyL
— Giro d’Italia (@giroditalia) March 25, 2022
A prediction for the final podium?
I would see Carapaz-Almeida-Bardet.
« I don’t see how Egan Bernal can return to competition so soon »
You were talking about Egan Bernal earlier. He could just resume competition at the end of May. Any thoughts on this return?
Shouldn’t he just resume training? I think there is a lot of info or intox. When you see the way the surgeons at the hospital described to us the injuries he had, I don’t see how he can return to competition so soon. It’s not a small lesion. Anyway, we’ll see, time always repairs mistakes.
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