Sixth overall and a stage winner heading into the final phase of the Giro d’Italia, Jose Rujano will start today’s mountain time trial knowing that he is once again riding at a very high standard in cycling. Six years ago he stunned the sport when he took a stage victory at Sestrière, won both the King of the Mountains and Combativity competitions and finished third overall.
Much was expected from the-then 23 year old but several quiet years followed. He showed first signs of a return to form last year when he won the Tour de Langkawi with an impressive solo victory on Genting Highlands, but when his-then ISD team missed out on a Giro invite that comeback stalled.
He’s shown more progression this year, and in signing for Gianni Savio’s Androni Giocattoli squad, he knew that he would be heading back to the Giro. He’s been able to build his form to be ready for the race.
Rujano now sixth overall heading into the final few days of racing; He is eight minutes 39 behind Contador, but just three minutes 28 seconds off the third place of Vincenzo Nibali. John Gadret’s fourth is just two minutes 31 seconds ahead of him and depending on how he rides, he can still in theory aim for third or fourth overall.
If he can return to the condition that saw him match Contador on two of the stages, he should gain time on the others.
Of course, with a flat time trial finishing things off, the tiny climber will also have to build a buffer over any riders who are stronger against the clock.
Whatever happens, though, it appears that his career is back on track. According to team manager Gianni Savio, he has found his balance again with the team he competed with during that 2005 Giro. He believes that has mad the difference, and will doubtlessly work with his rider to ensure he keeps improving.
“We know Jose Rujano very well…when he was in other teams, he lost something,” he said. “I think that with us, he is well and also I think that he now has another mentality. He also other men who follow him. Now his manager is a friend of mine, and I think that now he has the right equilibrium.”
Part of Rujano’s problems before were said to have stemmed from his-then agent, who Savio claimed was giving him bad advice. He appears to be back on track and, as Savio said prior to his win on the stage 13 to Grossglockner, he is just one of three strong climbers on the team.
“Jose Rujano is the [same] Jose Rujano that I put into the professional ranks in 2002. We have also Jose Serpa and the Italian Emanuele Sella. I think we have a good team and good group, and we are happy.”