With no previous reference points in Grand Tours, there was literally no knowing how Giro d'Italia leader Afonso Eulálio would perform on the first and toughest summit finish of the race so far on Friday - and despite his total inexperience in such scenarios, on the Blockhaus, the Bahrain Victorious pro did the maglia rosa proud.
Eulálio only began to struggle 5.6 kilometres from the top of the monster Apennine climb, cracking only after Grand Tour champions of the calibre of former Tour de France and Giro d'Italia winner Egan Bernal (Netcompany Ineos) and four-times Vuelta a España podium finisher Enric Mas (Movistar) had already fallen behind.
Initially isolated but then strongly supported by former Giro d'Italia podium finisher and teammate Damiano Caruso towards the top, Eulálio finally completed the stage 2:55 down on stage winner and top Giro favourite Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike).
Yet as Bahrain Victorious have repeatedly said, every new day in the lead is an added bonus for Eulálio and the team, and on the Blockhaus, the same rider that was wearing the maglia rosa at the foot of the climb was still set to remain in the same colour by the time he reached the top.
"It was a super-long stage, a super hard climb, steep and very windy," Eulálio said afterwards.
Eulálio had told reporters in the morning that he'd settle for losing three minutes on the climb, and his prediction proved all but spot on, with his gap on Vingegaard 2:55 by the time he crossed the line.
The big question for him in the days to come is how he can handle Vingegaard's looming presence on GC, and Eulálio recognised there was only one way to try to defend his jersey.
