INEOS steps on the gas: Praise for Arensman, criticism of the Giro, and what about time trial disadvantage for "impostor" Pogacar?

Before the start of Thursday's stage, Thomas wasn't feeling too optimistic. "It seems this is how racing is done these days. A Giro route should have a bit of everything, but such a stage can really mess up your overall standing. You need a bit of luck on your side. But apparently, this is how modern racing is. We just have to deal with it. The climbs are always tough. But the biggest challenge is the stress that comes with it," he said, cynically critiquing the inclusion of three gravel sectors in the Giro route.

During the race, there was no hint of bitterness. INEOS took control of the gravel sectors and actively shaped the race. After the stage, the Eurosport cameras caught up with Geraint for his first reactions. "The boys were incredible," he first pointed out the hard work done by teammates like Filippo Ganna, Magnus Sheffield and Thymen Arensman. "They kept me out of trouble. We rode as safely as possible. It was also great to see Thymen in such good form."

Questions arose post-race about INEOS Grenadiers' exact strategy, as they pushed hard but didn't seem intent on catching the breakaway. "Our main goal wasn't necessarily to reel in the breakaway. But if we had caught them, then Jhonatan Narváez was our plan B. That didn’t happen. Looking back, it would have been great to catch up and sprint with Johnny, but it wasn't meant to be. Now we look forward to the next few days," said Thomas.

"We noticed that all the incidents happened towards the back of the peloton. So, a big part of our strategy was to keep Geraint at the front to ensure his safety," team manager Dempster explained in an interview with IDLProCycling.com, highlighting another reason for INEOS's aggressive racing. "But indeed, we had two goals today, with Jhonatan possibly going for the stage win. We just didn't get enough support to make that happen."

Dempster brushed aside Thomas's criticism of the Giro's gravel sectors after the race. "Every grand tour includes a stage with cobblestones or gravel, this year in both the Giro and the Tour. As a team, we focus on these challenges with a solid plan for equipment," he said. "I'm relieved that no GC contenders lost time due to bad luck, because that’s not how you want to gain time. These stages are spectacular and have their place in the sport, in both one-day races and grand tours. Let's be honest: cycling fans likely watched this stage with keen interest. Cycling is a spectacle, and we need to strike a balance together."

For INEOS Grenadiers, the focus now shifts to the long time trial on Friday, heading towards Perugia. Spanning 40.6 kilometers, Thomas noted that it's a tricky distance. "I'll have to pace myself carefully, with a long, flat time trial followed by a challenging finale. You need to have something left in the tank," said the Welshman, who is less concerned about Pogacar. "I'm not sure how close I am to Tadej. He's phenomenal, so I just need to focus on myself and ride the best time trial I can. Is it an advantage for Tadej to start in the pink jersey of the organization? Maybe, but his own suit will be top-notch too. He's skilled enough to handle it."

Dempster also believes in focusing on the upcoming time trial performances of his riders. "We're heading into the time trial with a 46-second deficit, which isn't too bad. It's still a long Giro, and we've been focusing on equipment early this season with Geraint and Thymen. We've devised a pacing plan because it's a challenging time trial. Pogacar is a once-in-a-generation rider, so we're confident our riders will deliver their best, but we'll have to see what that means in terms of results."

Alongside Thomas, INEOS can also hope for stage victories with Filippo Ganna. "This gravel stage was one of the toughest so far. The previous days were quite challenging too. I don't recall a Giro being ridden so hard in the opening week. I tried to conserve energy, with the time trial in mind. I'm very glad that Geraint came through without any issues. That's the most important thing," Ganna briefly told Eurosport after the race.

Thomas predicts Pogacar will face challenges on Saturday's uphill finish. "Tadej is a great guy, so it depends on how he feels in the race, how he's looking, how many teammates he has... You can attack him, but you also need to be strong yourself to the finish. We take it day by day, starting with a solid time trial on Friday, and then we'll see."