On the face of it, this was a disappointing Giro for Team Sky. No stage wins, no jerseys and no rider inside the top 20 overall. But, beneath it, there were plenty of positives for the team to take from their three weeks in Ireland and Italy. Injuries and illness to key riders disrupted their preparations for the season’s first Grand Tour, denying them the services of Richie Porte and Pete Kennaugh in the process. But with no clear team leader, several other riders have taken their opportunity to step up.
For starters, Dario Cataldo’s Cima Coppi victory, cresting the Stelvio first, showed grit and character even if it was ultimately overshadowed by the furore of the descent and Nairo Quintana’s stage win. Cataldo was a regular feature in the breaks, taking second in the King of the Mountains classification. Irishman Philip Deignan, meanwhile, was another breakaway regular, while Sebastian Henao proved he is one to watch with 22nd overall. Ben Swift also came within a wheel of beating Marcel Kittel on stage three, even if his challenge faded from there on.
In all, there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful for Team Sky, particularly with Sir Bradley Wiggins winning in California earlier this month and the Tour de France on the horizon. The Criterium du Dauphine, which starts on Sunday (June 8) will tell us much about the British team’s Tour ambitions.
