'Geraint Thomas is on a par with Tadej Pogačar' – Magnus Sheffield keen to learn from leader in Giro d'Italia debut

Geraint Thomas and Tadej Pogačar after stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia
Geraint Thomas and Tadej Pogačar after stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia (Image credit: Getty Images)

In Acqui Terme on Tuesday morning, Magnus Sheffield was talking to reporters in the mixed zone when he was interrupted by his radio earpiece crackling into life. "Yeah, I can hear you, Yogi," Sheffield dutifully responded down the line to directeur sportif Ian Stannard, who was performing his routine sound checks ahead of stage 4 of the Giro d'Italia.

In a race where every day is laced with Tadej Pogačar-induced peril, it's essential to maintain the channels of communication. Ineos, who grappled with the particular intricacies of the Giro in their early years as Team Sky, have had a much firmer grip on bringing order to its chaos in the 2020s, finishing in the top two for the past four years.

Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan was Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.