“It’s always special to head into a rest day with a victory,” Van Aert started. “It gives you a bit more time to let it all sink in and to enjoy the moment together as a team. That’s exactly what we did. Today we did a recovery ride, which gave us the chance to reflect together on everything that happened yesterday.”  

“I feel like I’m growing into this Giro. I’m still not at my absolute best, but I feel like I’m improving every day. Hopefully I can show that again tomorrow.”  

Tuesday’s 28-kilometer time trial between Lucca and Pisa presents another opportunity. In collaboration with saddle partner Prologo, Team Visma | Lease a Bike has worked on a new time trial saddle. Both Van Aert and Affini see the stage as a new chance to shine in this Giro.  

“You never really know how well you’ve recovered, even on a rest day,” said Van Aert. “Yesterday I had to dig really deep. But tomorrow is another opportunity, and I’ll do everything I can to go all-in once again. It’s a time trial for pure specialists. Only the start in Lucca is technical. After that, it’s about finding your rhythm and pushing hard all the way to the finish.”  

European champion Affini - who finished fourth in the opening time trial on stage two - is also aiming high. “I’ll be targeting another top result tomorrow. Just like last time, I’ll try to enjoy riding in this jersey. I don’t know how many more time trials I’ll get to do wearing the European champion’s kit, so I want to make the most of it.”  

“We worked closely with Prologo on a new time trial saddle,” Van Aert added. “I even have a personalized version with extra grip, which helps me stay firmly in place. It’s not just about comfort, but it’s also crucial to maintain a stable aerodynamic position. We’ve made technical progress compared to previous years, and this saddle definitely plays a key role in that.”  

Salvatore Truglio, General Manager of Prologo: “The Predator 01TT is the innovative time trial saddle developed by Prologo in close collaboration with Team Visma | Lease a Bike. This ambitious and revolutionary project led to the creation of the first fully integrated saddle. It’s designed to be the lightest, fastest, and most aerodynamic time trial saddle ever made. Our goal is to provide a high-performance product that supports athletes in their pursuit of the best possible results. In modern cycling, every detail can make the difference.”