INTO THE FIRE

Through the rain you could still make out the imposing yellow and black gilet on the back of Wout van Aert in full flight.

The Belgian was straining every sinew, pushing the limits of traction on the treacherously slippery Italian roads to hunt down his nemesis Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) and Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE-Emirates). The TV camera moto sticks close to him – they know you’ll want to see this.

But further back down the road the chase is not for glory, it’s just to stay in the race. “You just thought, how long can this go on?” marvels John Archibald, new signing for UCI ProTeam Eolo-Kometa riding his first WorldTour race