Kulset takes on a new GC role
One of the key storylines for Uno-X Mobility will be Johannes Kulset riding GC in a Grand Tour for the first time.
Kulset has shown his qualities in demanding stage races, but the Giro is a different test: three weeks of positioning, recovery and fighting for every second. For Vinjebo, this is an important step in his development.
“Kulset is prepared for this, mentally and physically — where he ends up is not the most important thing, but this is a process and about learning how to fight for three weeks in a row. This is a bit of unknown territory for him. He has it in him to ride GC, and we believe in him,” Vinjebo says.
The plan is to back Kulset in the GC all the way, while still giving the team freedom to chase stages from breakaways. Leknessund, Lavik, Hoelgaard, Tjøtta, Løland and Holter all bring qualities for the hard and hilly days.
“If you ask how we win a stage in the Giro, we win on the days where we ride in the breakaway, preferably with more than one rider in the breakaway, and race smart out there. Then there is Erlend, because anything can happen in a sprint,” Vinjebo says.
A Grand Tour rarely follows the script, but Vinjebo has marked out some days that could suit the team especially well. Stage 5 stands out as a hard and long breakaway day, Stage 11 brings plenty of hills, and Stage 18 comes deep into the final week with a profile almost shaped like a classics race.