Tao Geoghegan Hart defended the overall lead at the Tour of the Alps on Wednesday, confirming to himself, his Ineos Grenadiers team and his rivals yet again that he has found a rich vein of form just in time for the Giro d'Italia.
After two tough seasons marred by illness and setbacks, Geoghegan Hart is once again confident in his ability to chase after attacks and take on anyone who tries to take the Tour of the Alps leader's green jersey from his back.
The British rider and his Ineos Grenadiers team again controlled their rivals on the 15km Passo San Valentin climb near Lake Garda on Wednesday. Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe) jumped away to win the stage but Geoghegan Hart was able to control his nearest overall rivals.
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Indeed, with Felix Gall (AG2R-Citroen) struggling after his stage 2 crash, he even extended his lead to 22 seconds on fellow Briton Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EasyPost). Two hilly but not overly difficult stages stand between him and the overall victory on Friday.
Geoghegan Hart seems to enjoy winning stages and wearing the leader's jersey at the Tour of the Alps but also understands the importance of savouring the journey as much as the success.
"I think it's a dangerous game to only validate your work from the results," he suggested in the stage 3 post-race press conference.
"There's been many great riders that have never won a race in their entire career. We have one super special Italian in our team here (Salvatore Puccio) that never crossed the line first, and he's one of the favourite people I've ever ridden with in my 10 years of this sport.
"There is some validation from winning without a doubt but the more validation that you can take from other things, the better it's going to be for you as a person.
"A win is the candle on the top of the cake for me. I went two years without a victory before this February, but I'd like to think that being a caring and loving partner and a good son, brother, friend and teammate is more important."
"It's also important to keep enjoying cycling and enjoying the interesting places that it takes you. You have to take each day as it comes."
Geoghegan Hart won the 2020 Giro d'Italia and the result stands out on his palmares but his character and charisma define him more than a maglia rosa ever can.
Yet he is ambitious and deadly serious about taking his opportunity. He has a new coach this season and is training less but his form and results are far better.
He won a stage at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in February and then battled to third place overall at Tirreno-Adriatico.
His results and his desire for even more in the weeks ahead, validate his right to a protected role at Ineos Grenadiers for the Giro d'Italia.
Geraint Thomas' palmares rightly give him provisional team leadership but just as in 2020, Geoghegan Hart will be waiting in the wings and giving his all for his chance.
"I won a Grand Tour two years ago so it's not that I don't line up on the start line of another one thinking about something else," he rebuked against low expectations before adding a sense of reality.
"100% I'm not going there as a favourite and there'll be a lot of top riders in the team who also have their own ambitions for that race, so there's all pieces in the puzzle. But for sure I'm looking forward to it."
