Einer Rubio, top 10 at the Giro d'Italia, tough and direct: 'Del Toro and Carapaz couldn't have been so selfish'

Einer Rubio (Movistar) confirmed that the Giro d'Italia is the race that suits him best, as his eighth place this year marked his second top-10 finish in five appearances, going from strength to strength.

He finished 58th in the 2020 edition. A year later, he moved up to 47th place, and in 2023, he finished 11th and won a 74-kilometer stage between Le Châble and Crans-Montana.

Last year, the goal was to finish in the top 10, and he did just that. He finished seventh and is gearing up to maintain his chances of being among the best overall in the 2025 edition, at least.

He confessed to EL TIEMPO that his goal was the top five, but on the sterrato stage (uncovered terrain) he lost time and that although he has improved in the time trial, he lost important seconds, which he had to recover at the end.

Rubio, born on February 22, 1998, spoke openly about the scandalous title fight between Isaac del Toro and Richard Carapaz , the same fight that Simon Yates took advantage of to win the race.

He said that for the first time he will be part of the Tour de France, a race that excites him and in which he also wants to be a protagonist.

Why have you 'specialized' in being a Giro man?

I'm very good at that race. I've run it and the results have been very good over the last three years. We've been chasing the overall standings, and I've finished in the top 10 twice.

What is the reason for these results?

It's a race I like; the terrain is different from that of the Vuelta a España and the Tour de France. A lot happens in the Italian race, and look, this year was no exception; it was very open.

By the way, were you surprised by Simon Yates' title?

It looked like he was doing well, but he wasn't the favorite. But look, something happens every day in the Giro, and that Saturday, towards Finestre, the race took an unexpected turn.

Yates was a rider who was lost at Jayco. Did the change help him?

Joining the Visma team was key. It's a different approach; everything is very different. In recent years, that team has been one of the best, and this year, with the Giro title, they've gotten back on track, and the Tour is coming up.

Is it the resurrection of Visma?

They have a very good team and will be in contention for the Tour and certainly the Vuelta. They're back, having won the three majors in 2023, but they couldn't last year, which shows how serious their work is.

Which of your three Giros would you choose?

They've been three very positive races. Obviously, there have been some negative aspects. This year we decided to go for the overall, and I'm still growing, raising my level, but the problem here is that everyone is doing it, getting faster each time.

This year was more difficult because in the first few days, breaking into the top five was very difficult because the level was so high. The goal we set for ourselves was tough, but we always insisted to the team that we were going for the top five, that we would fight for it, and we did.

Why didn't you meet that goal?

In the first two weeks of the Giro, there were few mountain stages; they were ambush stages. The time trial also played a role, making it difficult for the team. We didn't gel well, but little by little we improved, and in the end, everything worked out for us.

What was the worst moment?

On the sterrato day, we started the stages very badly. I had a puncture, which was a negative aspect, and we lost time. It was difficult for us to recover what we lost that day.

The final week I was in the high mountains, my home turf. I trained in Colombia with that goal in mind, to respond on those climbs. Finestre changed the Giro. We managed to maintain our starting position. That was very difficult for us, because it was tough in the first few days.

Did the fact that there were few high-altitude finishes hurt you?

Of course. If there had been more mountains and high-altitude finishes in the first or second week, I would have done better, I'm sure of that, but I had to adjust stage after stage, and it did hurt me.

How did you experience that exciting Giro finale?

A different feeling. The overall standings weren't decided; on the contrary, they were very close, very tight. The finish was crazy, and the best part was that we fought back.

What was one of the most difficult problems to overcome?

There were serious crashes, like that of Primoz Roglic, which took him out of the race. I don't agree with what happened; I don't agree with them doing stages like the Sterrato. With those stages, the Giro can't compromise the work of the teams and the riders and undermine the preparation that's been going on since December. I hope the Giro organizers don't take stages like that into account again.

Did you go from less to more?

Yes. This year, I did well in the third week because it was a mountain race, and I had to get into my groove. The third part of the race was the decisive one, and I had to finish with some energy left in the tank, and I was one of those runners who held on.

Is it still up in the air for you not to have won a stage?

It depends on many things, the pace, the speed at which you compete. They're moving a lot. That makes everything much more complicated. It requires more teamwork, many more skills, and you have to adapt to be able to be with the best.

What is your interpretation of this problem with Isaac del Toro and Ríchard Carapaz during the Finestre era?

It's a pain that a Giro is lost due to indecision, either from Del Toro or Richard. In the heat of the stage, they couldn't have been so selfish. The idea of ​​"I lose, but you don't win" isn't the best; they were the ones who suffered. These are race situations that the directors have to deal with.

Did you talk to any of them afterwards?

Del Toro was nostalgic, saying that he had been given an order from the car and that he had acted well, but it is difficult.

Was there anything missing in the Giro or could you have done more?

On the one hand, I'm satisfied because the team was happy, the goal was met, but I did want a little more. I had prepared myself for a top-five finish, but between one thing and another, it didn't happen.

Where did you lose that chance of being higher up?

On the sterrato day, we didn't get into the stages in a good position. I got a flat tire and we lost at least a couple of minutes. In the time trials, I made progress, but I have to keep improving and lose as little as possible.

Do you think it will be difficult to climb further in the Giro's overall standings in the coming years?

I don't see it as difficult; it just requires more work, a bit more teamwork. We can do it. Although this year I was preparing for the Giro in Boyacá, focused, and everything went at the level I was competing against, I can say that we have to keep trying to improve on the positions I've achieved.

How do you rate Nairo Quintana's work?

He wasn't in great shape, as he's affected by allergies, and this year spring came early and affected him, but he helped me as much as he could. The day we told him he had to be there, he was always there for me. It's a privilege to run alongside him; he's a great teammate and a great friend.

Is it better to be in a race that doesn't have a dominator like Tadej Pogacar?

The more open the race, the better, for the spectacle, the uncertainty of what might happen. It's important because cycling becomes much more attractive. When they're there, the ones who almost always win, you already know what's going to happen, and this sport loses its essence.

What's the next goal?

Go to the Tour de France to help Enric Mas. There's no word yet on what we're going to do, but he'll be in good shape, and we can go looking for opportunities to win stages.

What do you think of your first Tour de France?

That excites me. We have to seize the opportunity to finish in great shape. I think what we did at the Giro, the pace we're running, will help us finish in good shape.

Do you have enough time to get there safely?

The two races are separated by about a month, and I think that's enough time to rest, recover, and get into the swing of things for the Tour, the race we all want to be in.