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STAGE 5

Another day, another dramatic crash on the final run-in – this time caused by Luka Mezgec of Slovenia, who skidded across a slippery left-hander in the final kilometre – but Wiggins emerged unscathed and without loss of time. That was a relief at the end of a stressful day for the directeurs sportifs. All the teams had a similar game plan – to be towards the front going over the top of the first big climb. ‘We went full-gas up it for our GC guys,’ said Dario Cataldo, who was recovering from a severe stomach bug. ‘Luckily the descent that followed was dry, because it had been raining heavily before we arrived. Unfortunately Rigo punctured soon afterwards . . .’

Danny Pate took up the story: ‘That was a chaotic moment. We were going really fast. Sometimes directions are hard to take over the radio when you’re riding as hard as you can. The message was they didn’t know where Rigo was. So, I have to go from focusing on the role I’m concentrating on, to trying to find Rigo. I kept rolling . . . He appeared . . . And we both take our front wheels, but they won’t come out quick-release. I’ve never had that experience before! We’re smashing our wheels, and it was sorted pretty quick. Rigo was on and I gave him a push. The two Italian guys helped him back. That was my day over; I could take it easy to the end.’

The effort to get Urán back in the pack was exhausting, but Cataldo, Puccio and Zandio managed it 100m before that last ascent. Afterwards, Ljungqvist was quick to praise Cataldo’s stalwart efforts. ‘He’s done well to battle through his illness and hopefully now he’s coming out the other side.’

According to the team doctor, Richard Freeman, Cataldo picked up an infection early in the race. ‘It’s not unusual. When they’re training hard the immune system is diminished. The first week is actually the time riders are most likely to get sick. Training culminates, and tapers. Travel to the Grand Tours has its risks. They’re mixing with the general public, meeting people from all over the world. Dario was gutted. After months of training, it’s bad enough to fall off your bike – but to go down with a common-orgarden infection is frustrating. Because of the nature of the Giro, it was hard to get on top of his bug. Every day he was exhausting himself, four, five, six hours in the saddle. He was isolated and given his own room. The chef made special food, which I took up to him on a tray. He liked it so much that at 2.30am he called me, wanting more!’

Rain, punctures, crashes, illness . . . The sunny times on Ischia seemed a world away. ‘For sure, it happens every Grand Tour,’ said Dan Hunt, cheerfully. ‘There isn’t a team that doesn’t go through adversity. It’s a “here we go” sort of thing. That’s the kind of sport it is. Illness takes the edge off you, but you tend to get through it in a couple of days. We do express sympathy, but the guys are pretty brutal with each other. There’s a lot of banter and taking the piss.’

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