Isaac del Toro lost 47 seconds to UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate Juan Ayuso and 1:07 to Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), his maglia rosa lead shrinking considerably in the pouring rain of Pisa, yet he insisted it had been a good day at the Giro d’Italia.
“Today was a good day because I made it to the finish. I didn’t crash and I’m still in pink,” Del Toro said trying to be convincing.
“I’m super happy because I could push really hard. I can’t be more proud. I’m happy to make it finish without any problems.”
In truth it could have been a lot worse, as pouring rain on the stage turned into a battle of courage and time trial bike skills for the final riders who raced in the deluge.
An early corner gave Del Toro an indication on how to race in the rain on stage 10.
“I didn’t think it was too dangerous but then in the first corner I felt that if I pushed normally, my tyres would slide out. So I went easier and tried to save it on every corner, I only pushed full gas on the straights,” he explained.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG confirmed during the rest day that Del Toro and Ayuso are currently co-leaders after the Mexican’s attack and time gain on the gravel roads of Siena.
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UAE now have four riders in the top 10 with Brandon McNulty sixth at 2:00 and Adam Yates at 2:06. But they will have to decide on their leader and long-term race strategy at some point in this year’s Giro.
Will they try to control the breakaway on the tough Apennine stage on Wednesday, or try to keep the pink jersey all the way to Rome? Del Toro seems keen to keep the race lead for as long as he can.
“The race is putting everyone in their position and I think as a team we’ve seen the new GC, everyone is there and that’s amazing for the team,” he said.
“It’s up to the DS and managers to decide things. If they tell me to go all in for pink to help me to maintain the pink, for sure we’ll do it.”
Del Toro’s true relationship with Ayuso is still a mystery, just like their rivalry for victory in the Giro. They sat together in the rest day press conference but only spoke very briefly after the time trial in a rare moment captured by the television cameras.
“I just checked if he was OK after the stitches in knee, I saw blood and asked if he crashed,” Del Toro revealed. “He told me he was OK. It was nice to see him.”
Asked if he can win the Giro, del Toro was a little more diplomatic but still ambitious.
“I don’t know, I need to have my best legs ever, for sure if I have the legs of the other day in Siena….” he said.
“I want to believe I can do it but I don’t know. I hope to have more days like that. I’m not used to racing a Grand Tour but I feel good.
“On Wednesday I hope to have good legs and hope to be up there with the best guys.”
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