Ex-rider questions Roglic's lack of interest in Giro and criticizes Ayuso: "Shows no leadership"

"Roglič looks like he is training. I’m saying this from the couch and this is just my opinion, but he just seems so relaxed and not razor sharp. His interviews up until this point have been very 'sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t,' and honestly, his racing shows the same level of commitment—kinda there, but not really all there. Is it possible that Red Bull and he are both here to prepare for the Tour and not to win the Giro to 'salvage' the season? I think yes. Can he win this way? Probably, in the end. But after today, it’s possible there will be some rough moments ahead."

"If you watch the last two kilometers, you’ll see him constantly looking for cover in the group. When Ciccone and Bernal attacked, he did try to accelerate but was passed by the others. He ended up doing a steady effort and coming from behind in the end, but he seems to be lacking that race-day top end. This finish and this style of racing would normally suit him perfectly."

"Ayuso won the stage with a killer blow close to the line," the former rider continues. "No one could match. Simply put, he had more top-end power than everyone. He actually started his effort about five riders back and still got a good gap when he cleared Bernal. This is really hard to do on such a steep climb, as passing five riders who are already doing a lot of power means you really have to do a lot more than them. If he had, say, had his teammate lead him out on the steep part and then attacked from second wheel, he would have gained closer to 10 seconds, I think."

Nevertheless, Ayuso also received criticism from Danielson. "While Ayuso showed his form, he definitely did not show his leadership. He was rarely with his teammates during the climb, often moving up on his own. When Majka was pulling on the front, you could see him look back for Ayuso, and it seemed he even shouted for him to get up there. From my experience, it’s hard to pull hard on the front for your leader when you can’t even see or hear them. The Giro is a crazy race, and Ayuso will need to step up. He needs to ride with his team and use his teammates. His rivals will for sure take advantage of this."

Danielson concludes with a conclusion. "I think the takeaway from today is that Roglič’s lock on this race is not as 'airtight' as perhaps it seemed on paper. I’m speculating he has come into the race to train through it with an eye on July. I think he will be doing more 'listening to his body' each day than doing what it takes to win the race. I think he can still win this way, but I think he is beatable. The plot now is: what will UAE do?," he wonders.

"Are they going all in for Ayuso, or are they playing it wider with Del Toro, Yates and McNulty. If UAE's goal is to win this Giro, I would focus on sending those guys forward in the transition stages and grab time that way. That way you put Roglic and his team up against the wall and see how badly they really want it. But they have to implement those tactics quickly, because otherwise it's going to be too late."