"Everything according to the plan" for Visma | LaB and S. Yates (4th overall, just behind the podium) after Giro time trial: “I think I can still do better”

Yates finished 23rd in the stage, just six places behind Primoz Roglic (RedBull-BORA-hansgrohe), who rode in better conditions, and one spot behind Juan Ayuso of UAE Emirates-XRG. In the general classification, Yates now holds fourth place, just two seconds behind Antonio Tiberi of Bahrain Victorious in third.

“This was definitely a good day,” a happy Yates said through Visma | Lease a Bike. “After switching to this team, it took some time to get used to the new time trial equipment, which I’m very happy with. That period of patience is now paying off. I think there’s still room for improvement, but considering the conditions, we can definitely call this a good day.”

The fact that Yates has now successfully made it through both time trials and the gravel stage gives the Visma rider confidence. “It’s great that I’ve moved up to fourth place. I want to stay focused and hopefully play a role in the mountains during the final week. There’s still a lot to come in this Giro, but so far, everything is going according to plan,” said Visma | Lease a Bike’s GC leader.

Tiberi, usually considered a stronger time trialist than Yates, actually lost ten seconds to the Brit. “The conditions were really bad. From the start in Lucca, we had to ride the most technical section in the rain. The middle part was a bit drier, but then it started raining again in the technical final,” he explained.

“I was really scared in the corners,” said the Bahrain Victorious rider to CyclingProNet. “On the city wall of Lucca, I immediately felt how slippery it was. My goal was simply not to crash, so I definitely lost some time in the corners. But on the sections where I had to push, I felt my legs were good.”

Tiberi is well aware that a mountain showdown is already coming on Wednesday. “I knew from the start of the Giro that I could be behind riders like Roglic or Ayuso, so I had taken that into account. Now I just want to see how I stack up against the rest of the contenders.”