Niklas Larsen surprises with top ten in Giro, time trial goals still ahead

Niklas Larsen astonished both himself and his team in stage ten of the Giro d’Italia. The 29-year-old Dane appeared to be a strong candidate for a top-ten finish in the 42-kilometer time trial. However, after the stage, Larsen revealed to IDL ProCycling that his structured time trial preparation with his new team is still just beginning.

Larsen joined his current team last winter after a stellar 2025 at the continental level with BHS-PL Beton Bornholm. The highlight was undoubtedly his third place at the European Time Trial Championships, which he achieved after already signing his contract for 2026. “They are constantly looking to improve, which promises a lot. I think this is the right step for me,” he said at the European Championships.

Back in October 2025, Larsen had already shared his time trial ambitions with the team. “With hard work, much is possible, as long as you’re willing to put in the hours and focus on the small details. You need to use your time smartly, and then you can improve quickly.”

After his time trial on day ten of the Giro, Larsen reflected on his statements from over six months ago. “We haven’t actually spent much time on the time trial bike in the first months,” he admitted. “I didn’t do as much time trial work as I hoped because our focus was mostly on the classics, where we performed well.”

Leading into the Giro d’Italia, the focus shifted toward the sprint project, where Larsen played a key role in the lead-out for his teammates. “We also have Wout Poels, so there isn’t time for everything. But I did what I could,” Larsen said, surprised to find himself initially in fourth place before ultimately finishing tenth.

“The set-up felt good, but my legs weren’t fully there,” he analyzed. “That’s more a personal thing. I was a little under the weather on the rest day, but I felt much better this morning. I gave it my all, but I couldn’t push long enough. Sometimes you just have to be honest with yourself.”

The time trial and the result may have given Larsen a clearer perspective on his strengths. He is an excellent time trialist, and with focused preparation, he earned a podium at last year’s European Championships in the Ardèche alongside Remco Evenepoel and Filippo Ganna. Larsen already has a clear target for 2026.

“I’m looking forward to the Danish time trial championship. We still have plenty of time for preparation,” the Dane said. “We have many goals left in the Giro, so maybe I didn’t need to push so hard today. But I love this discipline, and it’s a lesson for the future. At the Danish Championship, the time trials are often long, so I’ll be spending more time on the time trial bike at home.”

Bram van der Ploeg ( X: @BvdPloegg | email : [email protected])