The main goal is to win the stage, reports Hirt at the start of the Giro. Dangerous falls? You drive over the edge

The preparation was standard, there is not much to think about. A few races at the beginning of the season and then the traditional high-mountain training in Colombia. And we arrived in Italy on Wednesday evening. Now I’m looking forward to the start, of course I also feel the classic pre-race nervousness before it finally starts.

It’s hard to say, I haven’t raced for a long time now, so we’ll see what the reality will be. But I’m riding well and I believe it will be good. Although I don’t like this year’s profile of Giro that much. It’s usually a killer final week, which I’m fine with, but now I don’t feel like there are as many mountain stages. In addition, we have two long time trials waiting for us.

We have one of the best sprinters in the world in Tim Merlier, so he is our priority. We want to win as many flat stages as possible. But we will have a freer hand in the hills.

Yes, it is in the game. I would love to try it. But I still don’t know what plan our team will draw up, what the management will imagine. The main priority for me will be to try to attack for victory in one of the mountain stages. But it will be a mix of everything, I also have work on the plane for Merlier waiting for me.

It’s certainly important too. It always helps to perform well at the Grand Tour. Of course, if they were still interested in me in the team, I would stay, but I am open to everything.

Of course that’s great. We live together in a room, we can chat in Czech and relax a bit. When I did the race in the United Arab Emirates, I only had Belgians in my team. They were talking to each other in Flemish and I was just watching what was going on. Having an international team is much more enjoyable.

Unless something unexpected happens, like a fall or illness, he will clearly win. In the fight for the overall standings, Pogačar and Vingegaard are simply separated from the rest of the world.

It’s hard to say, they were probably born with something special. If I knew what they were doing differently, I would try it too. (smiles)

If Vingegaard does not go to the Tour, he definitely has an interesting chance to dominate it as well. I don’t really understand how his body can handle it, but he’s just different. I don’t understand how he can stay in shape all year, but Tadej is capable of anything.

They drive faster and faster and the pressure in the peloton keeps increasing. Everyone wants to push forward, but there isn’t room for everyone. And at that speed, caroms are really painful. I don’t see much of a solution.

That fits quite well. We all know that a convention can end badly, but we push ourselves there anyway. And it either works out or it doesn’t. I always try to evaluate the situation and when I feel that things are going too far, I prefer to withdraw. But we all have that limit somewhere else.