Eddie Dunbar (Team Jayco AlUla) says he is expecting a big general classification battle on Giro d'Italia over the next two days and believes the fight will be for minutes rather than just seconds. Sitting 5th overall this morning going into the first of two consecutive mountain stages, he added this third week on a Grand Tour was unknown territory for him.
The 26-year-old should overcome Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious), who sits one place and just 13 seconds ahead of him overall. After that the top three - Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers), João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) and Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) - are 2½-3 minutes ahead. However, the Irishman expects a battle for minutes.
His first goal was "hopefully to not lose time" adding "the other day was a pretty good day and I think something similar over the next few days" would be "really positive".
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"But it's a bit unknown as well as. It's my second Grand Tour, we're into the third week, there's still still a lot of racing to be done in these two days. So I'll just try and stay with the guys who were ahead of me and see where I end up after that."
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Today's stage 18 is 161km from Oderzo to Val di Zoldo which features five categorised climbs, including two cat 2s back-to-back to finish; the final one with pitches between 8 and 9 per cent gradient for two kilometres. Tomorrow's stage 19 is harder - 183km from Longarone to Tre Cime di Lavaredo. It includes five categorised crimes, finishing on the 7.1km HC climb to the line, which averages 7.8 per cent but featuring 3km above 10 per and the final 2km at 14 per cent.
"I think it may be a little bit more conservative (today), but whether I'll say that after the stage, I don't know," he said before the start this morning. "But tomorrow's a massive day on paper, you know. I mean it could be minutes separating guys tomorrow. Today could be seconds, probably. So you have to take that into account as well. But it's going be an exciting day I think, either way.
"We've a great team, there's a really good atmosphere around the place, there's a good feeling at dinner. Everyone's getting on, we're having a laugh, which really important. Everyone's feeling appreciated; from every rider to every person the staff. I think and that's what you want at this level.
"I think the pressure comes from whatever personal pressure you put on yourself. You just have to try and enjoy the moment, control what you can control and then after there's not much you can do really only try and stay with the best."
