Milan Vader enjoys focus on leader Tom Pidcock during Giro debut: "That's where he performs best"

Vader made the switch this past winter from Visma | Lease a Bike to Q36.5 and has been having a consistent season so far, including solid results in the Amstel Gold Race and the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali. “Originally, I was listed as a reserve for the Giro, but I knew something could happen. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I kept it in mind, but exactly one week before the Giro started, I got the confirmation.”

And just like that, he was lining up for his first three-week race, now in his fourth year as a full-time road pro. “Slept a bit less than usual,” Vader told us before the start of the stage in Durrës. “Not really because of nerves, more due to the busy days we’ve had. And I ate a slightly bigger meal. None of it really surprises me, but you can feel there’s just a bit more going on around it. It’s really fun. What are the differences? Just a bit more serious, a bit more attention to everything,” was Vader’s impression after the Giro’s prep days.

What can we expect from Vader in the Giro? “My preparation went well, but I’m not setting the bar too high for myself. I’m just going to ride to Rome. For a first time, that’s already quite something,” he laughs. “And of course we have two clear team leaders, so in the stages where I can be of help, I’ll just do my best for them,” referring to Tom Pidcock and Matteo Moschetti.

With Pidcock, who finished fourth in the opening stage, Vader naturally shares a connection as a former mountain biker. “We didn’t really know each other from mountain biking, but Tom was always someone I’d chat with in the peloton. That probably comes from the shared background we have in MTB,” said the Q36.5 rider.

“Our connection is good, and we have a lot in common. As a leader, Tom is someone who knows exactly what he wants. His focus is incredibly sharp, and he can really commit to his goals. You have to let him do his thing, because that’s when he performs best. Around that, he’s super loyal and really cares about his teammates. It shows in the little things. Of course, he gets a lot of attention, but he tries to share that with his teammates too. More like: they deserve recognition as well,” says Vader about Pidcock, who finished fourth in the opening stage and aims to stay active in the race over the coming weeks.

The Zeeland native himself is hoping to reach Rome, though that means surviving plenty of mountain stages in the third week. “The climbing legs are okay, but I’m not really thinking about that final week yet. In a Grand Tour, it’s always a matter of taking it day by day, I think.”