Greig Leach

I try to remain neutral as I paint the various races, but I must admit that I am a fan of the American Tejay van Garderen (BMC). I was yelling at my computer screen as he and Mikel Landa (Sky) came up to the finish in Pontives. While I had considered that the pair may have made a deal allowing Landa to take the mountain points along the way and van Garderen would take the stage, but given the effort in the last couple of hundred meters, it was a true full on race to the line. Van Garderen had high hopes at the start of this Giro, but as he said, his body let him down in the early stages of the race. He was in tears after the finish with the relief of the victory. The American normally fades in a three week stage race, but he has certainly reverse that trend on this stage. Landa is close to carrying the Maglia Azzurro all the way to Milan after today's effort.