Vlasov and Kämna see Giro completely changed by fallout Evenepoel: "INEOS must now race defensively"

Vlasov first reflects on the withdrawal of Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step). The world champion had to quit due to a COVID-19 infection. "The race will be different now that Evenepoel has dropped out, although there are many other strong competitors. For us, COVID-19 doesn't change much. You have to take good care of your health, especially with the cold conditions we have already faced."

"I'm happy with my position after the first week," Vlasov continues. "I have a loss of just over a minute, but it's still manageable. Until this point, I was slightly behind the other general classification riders. I hope to turn that around in the final week because there are many mountain stages coming up. My form is improving and I feel better than at the beginning."

Vlasov is aware that the second week also presents its challenges. "The mountain stage to Crass Montana will bring changes to the overall standings. INEOS Grenadiers, for example, has shown to have a strong team. Everyone was talking beforehand about Evenepoel, Primoz Roglic and INEOS, but let's not forget riders like Joao Almeida. For me, the goal remains to stand on the podium in Rome."

Kämna: "Questions about Evenepoel were inevitable. His withdrawal doesn't change much in our strategy, although it will certainly affect the race dynamics. INEOS Grenadiers now has to adopt a more defensive approach, given that Geraint Thomas is wearing the pink jersey. However, it's not that we are afraid of COVID-19. If you catch any other illness, you would also be forced to withdraw."

The German rider is pleased to share team leadership with Vlasov and gives credit to Tao Geoghegan Hart (INEOS Grenadiers). "So far, it has been great to race together with Aleksandr. We have done many preparation races together, which helped foster team spirit. Tao in particular has surprised me a lot during the race. He is riding incredibly strong, and I didn't expect him to perform so well in the time trials. That's impressive."

"I still aim to finish in the top ten," Kämna clearly states his goal. "It would be nice if I can achieve that. Currently, I'm in eighth place, but there are still many strong riders behind me. It's a completely different experience to consistently compete for a general classification, but I have had a good first week. It's a great experience, and I have an experienced team supporting me exceptionally well. I look forward to the upcoming weeks."