Luke Plapp is hoping his Giro d’Italia stage win will inspire his Jayco AlUla teammates on stage 15 to Asiago, when a breakaway is widely expected to fight for the stage victory, just as Plapp did in Castelraimondo last Saturday.
Lidl-Trek and UAE Team Emirates-XRG have dominated the racing since the Giro began in Albania, with Mads Pedersen winning four stages and Isaac del Toro in control of the maglia rosa.
They have often chased down the breakaways but that could prove to be more difficult on Sunday’s 219km medium mountain stage from Fiume Veneto to the Asiago high plain. The riders climbs Monte Grappa after 103km and then up to Enego for 16.4km at 5.4%.
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“There’s only been one breakaway day in the Giro so far, there are usually a lot more, so I think everyone has their eye on the stage to Aisiago. If you don’t have a GC leader or sprinter, it’s one of the last chances to win a stage,” Plapp explained to Cyclingnews.
Plapp could try to go on the attack for a third time, after also going deep on stage 11. Alternatively, Jayco AlUla could send Filippo Zana, Paul Double or young climber Davide del Pretto up the road.
Plapp is keen to share the spotlight with his teammates.
“We’ve got six other guys in the team who’d also love to win a stage. That’s what we’re focused on. We’ll see what stage 15 brings but we’re looking for opportunities,” he said.
“I’m not feeling too bad. It’s a lot easier waking up every morning and racing each day knowing that you’ve already won a stage. My Giro is already a success, the pressure is kind of off my shoulder, so I’m trying to enjoy the whole race. Anything else that comes my way is a kind of bonus.”
This is Plapp’s third Grand Tour of his career and by far his best.
“I’ve deteriorated and struggled in other Grand Tours but so far in this Giro I’m feeling quite strong every day. It’s about doing that for the whole three weeks and coming out of it even stronger,” he explained.
“Getting through every day and not suffering too much is a goal. There are days when I’ve finished well down but that’s after doing my role for the day, perhaps early in the race.”
Plapp is not scheduled to ride the Tour de France and will recover from a busy first of the season before taking aim at specific goals in the late European summer.
“We haven’t set a whole lot of goals for after the Giro, we want to see how things pan out first,” he explained.
“I’ll have a nice break, celebrate the stage win and then work with the team to see what the goals are for the rest of the season. Time trial worlds are always a big goal for me, I like to represent Australia and so will perhaps focus on the time trial in Rwanda.”
Plapp is only 24 but is enjoying his second season with Jayco AlUla after his move from Ineos. His winter was disrupted by a wrist injury that still requires strapping and pain management, but he has shown his talent at WorldTour level and not just at the Tour Down Under.
“Last week’s Giro stage was my first WorldTour win, so it was super special,” he told Cyclingnews.
“I won in Greece in the spring, but that was a smaller race. Now to have another Euro win and to have won nationals too, means it’s been a good start to the season, especially the problems of my wrist and having six weeks off.
“I’m super stoked with how the year has gone so far. I worked well with Nico and my coaches outside the team, to have that bond together and work well together for big goals is really special.”
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