
He may have narrowly missed on the win, but it was an emotional symbol of top form returning for Michael Valgren (EF Education-EasyPost) at the Giro d’Italia as he took second on stage 5, removing any doubt that he is truly back after a long injury recovery.
Valgren was only bested by Benjamin Thomas (Cofidis) in Lucca after a four-man breakaway cooperated brilliantly to stay away from a charging peloton. It showed that he really is back at the top of the sport, that 18 months of hard work and small wins have paid off.