Surprising? Not to INEOS: They've planned for weeks to beat Pogacar with Narváez: "I'm in the form of my life"

The Giro d'Italia's opening stage was nothing short of a battleground. As many expected, Tadej Pogacar launched his attack on the steep ascent of San Vito. Yet, he didn't count on the resistance from two unexpected contenders: Jhonatan Narváez and Maximilian Schachmann. Narváez took everyone by surprise, out-sprinting Pogacar in a stunning finish. For the cycling community, it was a shock; for Narváez and his team, INEOS Grenadiers, it was all part of the plan— they had their sights set on Pogacar and this stage for months!

Narváez was tight on Pogacar's wheel on the final climb, did not let go, and played it very strong in the sprint. The Ecuadorian patiently waited until his Slovenian breakaway companion made his move and trusted his own sprint, which was good enough. 'With Geraint (Thomas, ed.) behind in the group, Jhonatan could play with Pogacar, so that was an advantage. But the way he finished it off... That boosts morale for the whole team, which we are happy about. In 2020, we won the time trial on day one with Filippo Ganna and that also boosted team morale. This is very important for Jhonatan, but also for the team,' sports director Oliver Cookson celebrated afterward with IDLProCycling.com.

Narváez himself was remarkably down-to-earth, both in the flash interview and half an hour later in the press conference. "This victory is a bit bigger than the first," he stated, referring to his stage win from a breakaway in the 2020 Giro. "This is a fantastic feeling. A month ago, we extensively discussed within the team: this was really a stage for me. I've worked hard towards this. Following the best man in the peloton was really tough on the climb. That's why this is a really special victory. It still hurts, the effort to follow Pogacar. It was really tough, but I made it."

Continue reading below the photo!

Narváez did his homework AND spotted a mistake by Pogacar

Pogacar seemed a bit surprised himself. He attacked several times, but Narváez never had to let a gap open. "For the fans, this might be a surprise, but if you look at his recent performances and know his abilities, this has been the plan for a while. We didn't want to shout it from the rooftops because everyone was watching Pogacar and UAE, who have been riding strongly," Cookson said with a smile. "We knew on paper that it would work out this way and we had a plan with Jhonatan, and also Geraint for the general classification. Depending on how much the group had thinned out, we knew there would only be two or three men capable of following Pogacar. Jhonatan was one of them. We knew he was in form and that this finale was for him. He did his homework."

It all sounds so simple, but of course, it wasn't. Yet, after the grueling stage, Narváez was remarkably able to keep his cool in the sprint. Here, he also pointed to impatience on the part of his rival Pogacar. "I think he just went too early. From 200 meters out, after such a tough stage. I wanted a short sprint, and that's what won me the victory today. It's amazing. I spoke with the team director yesterday (Friday) about the chance to take the pink jersey. Today was my chance, because it was neither a sprint nor a time trial."

Continue reading below the photo!

Narváez better than ever, at team where he feels at home

And to think that Narváez had a serious crash at Gent-Wevelgem in March. His spring season ended abruptly due to a concussion, but it gave him the chance to prepare for the Giro in peace, back home in Ecuador with his family. "And he's riding here in the Ecuadorian national champion's jersey and has also become a father," Cookson says, referring to his son Lucas. Narváez also praises the team, where he has been since 2019. "They have always supported me after that crash and sent me to Ecuador for altitude training. The medical staff and coaches stayed in touch, allowing me to train hard and come to the Giro in fantastic shape. The crash in Belgium was tough, but now I'm enjoying this moment."

At the press conference, the always cheerful winner explained why INEOS is such a good fit for him. "Filippo Ganna is a good friend, and I’m sharing a room with him now. We talk a lot, and we had agreed that I would go with Pogacar, but wait for him for the sprint if he was still there. I'm happy with him and the whole team. I'm having a great time here." Cookson calls him "a funny guy who gets British humor." Narváez adds, "I’ve been here six years, you know. That's as long as a university degree. If I didn’t get British humor after all these years, I'd be an outcast!"

The big question remains: can Narváez defend the pink jersey on Sunday, in the climb to Oropa? "It's a tough final climb, but let’s see what we can do. It also depends on the team's ambitions." His form shouldn’t be a problem. "I think I'm in the best shape of my life, and certainly in the best years of my career. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to follow Pogacar. It’s great to beat someone like Tadej. He’s the strongest rider in the world and really pushed hard on that last climb. UAE was clearly after the stage win and the pink jersey, so it was tough to hold his wheel. I couldn't even glance at my Garmin. You can imagine I was at my limit."