Juan Pedro López stands up for team leader Enric Mas: 'I’d give them a bike'

Movistar have been riding a very attractive Giro so far, but the Spanish team are still waiting for the stage win they want. Like many other squads, they have also been hit by illness, and they saw team leader Enric Mas drop out of the general classification battle. Juan Pedro López outlined the plans for the third week in an interview with AS.

Movistar have been visible almost everywhere in this Giro. They have regularly featured in breakaways, and on stages that suit sprinter Orluis Aular, they have done everything they can to make life hard for the other fast men. Even so, victory has still not come for the attacking team. The loss of Mas from the GC battle was also a significant setback.

"It is something that can happen," López says. "Enric (Mas, ed.) had not raced for a long time, and yet we still came here full of enthusiasm. We still have that enthusiasm. Our goals inside the team have now changed: we want to win a stage".

López is especially irritated by the criticism aimed at his team leader. "It is always said that any publicity is good publicity, as long as it is publicity. If people are talking about you, it is because they are keeping an eye on you," he says optimistically. Even so, the Spaniard has a challenge for the critics.

"I’d give them a bike, so they could not only ride for one stage, but for ten minutes like we do. We are trying to defend our team colours at one hundred per cent, for ourselves, for the team and for the fans, because thanks to them we exist. Some will agree with us, others won’t, but we are trying to do our job and live up to expectations".

The Spaniard is therefore determined to give everything again in the third week in pursuit of a stage victory. "There are some nice stages coming up where we can grab opportunities." On Tuesday, the stage through Switzerland could already offer an opening for riders such as Mas, Einer Rubio and López himself.