Having looked in great condition on the two opening stages of the Baby Giro on Sunday and Monday, Irish rider Darren Rafferty (19) said he will find out for sure where he is in the general classification pecking order after the summit finish on the Stelvio on tomorrow's stage 4.
He said the experience of riding for a result on such a long climb would be new to him and it remained to be seen how he would perform, though he believed it was a climb that may suit him.
Rafferty, who has proven a world class talent at U23 level over the last two seasons with Hagens Berman Axeon, also spoke to stickybottle about the difference between his first full season in Europe last year and his improved abilities this year. He had noticed the biggest change when it came to absorbing training and racing load.
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He was also no longer racing in a bid to get in a breakaway, but rather had shifted his attentions to riding for a result with the best riders - who normally come good in the finale of races rather than taking the early breakaway route.
Rafferty, from Co Tyrone, completed in a three-week training camp at altitude in Sierra Nevada from the start of May. Once that concluded he rode two races in Italy at the start of this month. He place 7th in Trofeo Alcide DeGasperi (1.2) after making the nine-man front group on a very attritional course.
"I feel like my shape's good, it's come along how I'd like it, everything thing's being going smoothly," he said of the Baby Giro. He added he had long shaken off some crash injuries he sustained at the start of April. And while he felt in good condition looking ahead to the remainder of the Baby Giro, he believed the very high mountains would be unknown territory for many of the riders, including himself.
"It's the biggest race of the season for (U23) riders on their (trade) teams. It's a bit of an unknown for me. I know I rode it last year, but with a totally different style," he said of riding to defend the race leader's jersey of his team mate Leo Hayter.
"I was on the front every day for the last five days. This year, it might be the same, I'm not sure yet. There's a lot of tough days and we have Kasper (Andersen) here, our sprinter, and strong first-year U23s as well, all with strong chances of winning stages or doing a good job on GC.
"So we've brought a strong team and we've got plenty of chances to do something. For me personally, it's wait and see how it goes and hang onto the GC (battle) for as long as I can, hopefully stick in there."
The first big stage finish will be atop the Stelvio - after 21.9km of climbing averaging seven per cent - tomorrow and Rafferty said questions would be asked of all the riders, including himself, though he did not know how he would cope with that climb.
"I would say it suits me, it's long and consistent and I suppose we'll see on the day," he laughed. "After that stage it's going to be very clear where everyone's at GC-wise, that's the big decider I think."
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Asked how his form was now compared to 12 months ago - when he won Strade Bianche di Romagna (1.2U) in late May - Rafferty said the biggest change in his second year as an U23 in Europe was his ability to absorb load.
"There's not any massive jump, I don't see huge, huge improvements," he said comparing his form this season and last. "But my recovery after races and absorbing the level is definitely much better. The season is not taking as much out of me as it did last year by this point in the season. I feel more in control this year.
"Maybe the results aren't amazing or they aren't a huge step up but I feel like I'm in the race a lot more. I'm not just trying to get in the break. I'm actually considering myself for a result with the favourites. There's probably been a bit of a change of mindset."
However, Rafferty said he was not putting huge pressure on himself to win a stage at the Baby Giro. While he would try hard to do so, he would not "stress" if the sought-after results don't come his way.
"A result would be class, but I'm not going to put any unnecessary pressure on myself. If I win a stage, I win a stage. If I don't, I don't. But I think someone from the team will at least."
As well as Rafferty and Andersen in the Hagens Berman Axeon line-up in the Baby Giro, the team also includes first-year U23 Jan Christen, the junior European road race champion last year and already signed to UAE Team Emirates for four years starting next season.
Portugal's António Morgado is also in the team and he has already won Orlen Nations Grand Prix (2.Ncup) and International Tour of Rhodes (2.2) overall this season. The team is completed by top US prospect Artem Shmidt, who had an outstanding season as a junior last year in Europe.
Rafferty described his opening stage TT effort on Sunday as "solid", adding he was "happy enough" with 12th. "I suppose I had top 10 in mind but there wasn't any massive gaps between anyone so GC-wise those gaps don't really matter," he said.
"Stage-wise, I don't think I was going to win with the time that (Alec) Segaert (Lotto Dstny) posted so whether I was 6th, 12th or 18th, it's not really a huge difference."
At the end of yesterday's stage he was part of a three-rider breakaway, though only one of them made it all the way. He said he had ridden very hard on the front of the three-man group in the closing kilometres to try and hold off the bunch.
And just after he had done a long turn on the front, Gil Gelders (Soudal - Quick-Step Devo Team) attacked, riding away to victory as Rafferty and Edoardo Zamperini (Zalf Euromobil Désirée Fior) were caught by the bunch in the last kilometre.
However, Rafferty - who was 9th overall starting today's stage - sounded philosophical about the outcome, suggesting his ride in the opening two stages had confirmed he was happy with his condition looking ahead to the rest of the race.
