Bardet: Bernal untouchable but Giro d'Italia podium is up for grabs

CORTINA DAMPEZZO ITALY MAY 24 Romain Bardet of France and Team DSM passing through Passo Giau 2233m during the 104th Giro dItalia 2021 Stage 16 a 153km stage shortened due to bad weather conditions from Sacile to Cortina dAmpezzo 1210m Snow girodiitalia Giro on May 24 2021 in Cortina dAmpezzo Italy Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images
Romain Bardet of Team DSM on Passo Giau (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

For the best part of two weeks, Romain Bardet (Team DSM) had ridden a rather limp Giro d’Italia, but a resurgence on the Passo Giau on Monday has whetted his appetite for the final week.

The Frenchman, twice a podium finisher at the Tour de France, recognized that race leader Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) is practically untouchable but counted himself in for a podium tussle that could go any number of ways.

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Patrick Fletcher

Patrick is a freelance sports writer and editor. He’s an NCTJ-accredited journalist with a bachelor’s degree in modern languages (French and Spanish). Patrick worked full-time at Cyclingnews for eight years between 2015 and 2023, latterly as Deputy Editor.