• Dumoulin says Yates’s climbing strength gives him overall edge
Since the 2018 Giro d’Italia route was announced last November, one day has loomed large: Tuesday 22 May, date of the 34.2km time trial from Trento to Rovereto. With the race delicately poised after a series of mountain-top battles between Lancashire’s Simon Yates and last year’s winner Tom Dumoulin, those expectations look set to be fully justified.
There is an exquisite irony in the focus on a single time trial during a Giro packed with legendary and fearsome ascents: Etna, Gran Sasso, Monte Zoncolan, the Colle delle Finestre and Monte Jafferau. But this time trial always suggested a scenario for the 2018 race which has a simplicity about it which is both brutal and beautiful: Dumoulin will gain time here in spades, so it is up to his rivals to gain it elsewhere.
Written by William Fotheringham
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/may/21/simon-yates-tom-dumoulin-time-trial-battle-giro-d-italia-cycling under the title “Simon Yates and Tom Dumoulin set for time trial battle that could decide Giro”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
