Will van Aert face an unexpected challenger in the Giro? Sports director nominates a contender for the gravel stage: "The stage is much tougher now"

"Everything is going well with Luke," White begins. His protégé had to undergo surgery in February due to a wrist fracture from 2024, which was still bothering him. "Of course, he's a little behind schedule because of that fracture. He had a very quiet month of February and took almost a month off, but since then, he's been working his way back up." And things are going well, as was evident in Greece, where Plapp was the strongest in the second stage of the Tour of Hellas.

Now, the 24-year-old rider is at the start of the Tour de Romandie, the first real test. "We'll see how he recovers during Romandie in the run-up to the Giro. After Romandie, we will better understand how he performs in a stage race. We already saw positive signs in Greece, but hopefully, we will see more consistency in Romandie. After that, we can finalize our plan for the Giro."

The sports director already knows that several stages should suit Plapp well. "The second time trial suits him very well. The first is a short, explosive time trial in a city in Albania, but there are also several other stages he can focus on. In about ten days, we'll know whether he's going for stage wins or the GC."

And if the climber wants to go for stage wins, there is one stage that White thinks should suit him particularly well – a stage in which he could easily be a major contender for Wout van Aert, among others. "There is again a gravel stage this year, which is much tougher and more challenging than last year. But there are many opportunities for Luke in the Giro. He is very versatile." Last year, Plapp finished third in the gravel stage, behind winner Pelayo Sanchez and Julian Alaphilippe.

Jayco AlUla will not be taking any sprinters to Italy, so Koen Bouwman will be on the start list and could play an important role in a team full of climbers. "We are focusing on Chris Harper for the GC. We will decide what to do with Plapp in the next ten days. We want to put together an ambitious team and focus on stages, especially in the second half of the race."

And does the team believe in a top-ten finish for Harper? White has a straightforward answer to that question. "He is progressing well, and he is a real diesel engine. He really comes into his own in the second half of the race. You can lose a few seconds in the first stages, but that's nothing in the Giro compared to the third week when you can win or lose minutes. He can definitely make the top ten."