It is the first time the Norwegian is not cycling in the yellow colors of Team Jumbo-Visma, as the team was previously called.
This year he represents the British major team INEOS Grenadiers, and there will be a new role for the Norwegian than what has been the case in previous years.
From earlier, it is 9th place overall from 2021, which is the Norwegian’s best result in the Grand Tour race.
Ahead of this year’s Giro, however, Foss tells Discovery that there will be no overall focus this year.
– It will mainly be to help G (Geraint Thomas) and Thymen (Arensman), I also hope that I can get the opportunity myself on a couple of stages. That is what becomes the main focus. In my case, I may lose time for a few days, and we’ll see if there are any opportunities in breach. It will be exciting, says Foss.
Just what he needs
Discovery’s cycling commentator, Theis Magelssen, is a supporter of the Norwegian’s stage focus.
– I like it. He fits that too. He has had a “shaky” year with little stability. Chasing an overall victory in a Grand Tour, which requires enormous stability, is demanding. Then he has to be on every day. He comes in with one bigger name (Thomas) and one who is ahead of him on the ladder (Arensman) and then he can hunt a bit himself. That’s exactly what he might need right now.
Foss says he doesn’t quite have the basic form from the 2021 edition of the Giro, but that he feels the top level is higher.
– I was probably a bit better in 2021. My top level is probably better, but if I manage to be stable enough considering the foundation I have, there are a few more questions around, says the 26-year-old.
Foss has to laugh at his own mistake: – Probably looked very stupid
– Nothing to prove
Foss has been clear that this year’s big goal is the Olympics in the summer, and that therefore the foundation before this year’s Giro had to suffer from that. The Giro is therefore seen as an important part of the build-up to the Olympics, according to Foss.
– I think the Giro came a little early with a view to building a proper foundation. So with regard to my own Grand Tour ambitions, it will be postponed until next year, he says.
– If I’m going to rerun the summary, I want to be so good that I can fight for a top five position. I don’t have anything to prove by finishing in the top ten as I’ve already done it, so it’s a bit more fun to try to grab a stage win or two and drive actively that way. It’s a little different, but cool.
- You watch the entire Giro d’Italia discovery+ and the new streaming service Max which will be launched on 21 May.
Promising tendencies
There have not been too many rides on the Vingrom cyclist this year. After the UAE Tour, the plan was to cycle around Catalonia, but illness ruined it.
But in what was only his second ride of the year in the Tour of the Alps a few weeks ago, he delivered some solid performances. He held the leader’s jersey for two days and took the first pro win off the pace of his career.
He was admittedly number 31 overall in the end after some heavy last two stages. Nevertheless, he takes with him a good feeling from the Alpine ride.
– It shows that the opportunities to win stages are there, and I have always believed that a sprint in a reduced group with a majority of climbers should be a pretty good chance of winning for me. So it was good to get that confirmation in the Tour of the Alps.
The Giro d’Italia starts on May 4 with a tough and hilly 1st stage from Venaria Reale to Turin.
- You watch the entire Giro d’Italia discovery+ and the new streaming service Max which will be launched on 21 May.
