Pellizzari stays humble but confident after strong Giro start against Vingegaard: 'No one is unbeatable'

Giulio Pellizzari finished 6th last year at the Giro d'Italia and has made a strong start to the season, finishing 3rd at Tirreno-Adriatico and winning the Tour of the Alps. Consequently, the 22-year-old Italian has been tipped by many as the rider most likely to challenge the standout favourite for the maglia rosa, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike).

While the race is only three stages old and the terrain hasn’t necessarily favoured the GC contenders, Pellizzari has already passed his first test. The Italian was the only rider alongside Lennert van Eetvelt (Lotto-Intermarché) to match Vingegaard’s acceleration on the Lyaskovets Monastery Pass in the finale of stage 2. 

While the trio were caught inside the final kilometre, it served as an early indication of Pellizzari’s form, and a reminder that the Italian is a born-racer, unafraid to ride aggressively on all terrain. The 22-year-old currently sits 31st in the GC, but just 0:10 behind race leader Guillermo Thomas Silva (XDS Astana).

Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport on the first rest day on Monday, as the riders travel from Bulgaria to Italy, Pellizzari is in good spirits, praising his rival Vingegaard's strength, but also taking confidence from his own performance.

"I feel good, really. My legs are there. Vingegaard is going really strong, but I'm happy to have stayed close to him and held my own,” Pellizzari told La Gazzetta della Sport. 

"No one is unbeatable,” Pellizzari simply replied when asked if Vingegaard is beatable.

The first day highlighted as crucial for the GC contenders is stage 7, which concludes with a summit finish atop Blockhaus. 

The last male rider to win atop Blockhaus was Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) en route to winning the 2022 edition. The Australian is racing alongside Pellizzari at the Giro, giving the team multiple cards to play. Pellizzari detailed his good relationship with Hindley, something which he believes is key to success.

"As a rider, we all know how strong he is. But for me, it's the person who matters most. We're great friends, as well as teammates, even though we're seven years apart. We have a lot of fun together, and that's what really makes the difference. He's a special guy."

In terms of winning a major stage race, Pellizzari isn’t getting too ahead of himself and admitted that he races on instinct and that, whether or not it is something that he will ultimately achieve in his career, he wants to be ready if the opportunity presents itself.

"I'm not one for making rigid plans; I go by gut feeling. I just have to do things the right way, and then time will tell where I can get to. Today, no one can know if I'll win a Grand Tour or not. And I don't know when I'll be ready, or whether it will happen this year, next year, or in five years,” said Pellizzari. 

"I'll certainly do everything I can to achieve it, for myself and for Italy. But now, the only thing that matters is living in the present and figuring out, day by day, where you can get to,” said Pellizzari.