Staying focused yet calm is one of the secrets to success in Grand Tours, and Richard Karapas seems to have his emotions completely under control as he enters the final week of the Giro d'Italia in Maria Rosa. After a strong ride on Saturday's hot, hilly stage around Turin, Kalapas took the pink jersey, and Ineos Grenadier switched to defensive mode on Sunday's Alpine stage to Cogne. When the Giro d'Italia resumes on Tuesday, the high mountains will soon start to hurt, and it will be a painful opening to the final six stages.

The 202-km stage 16 from Salo' to Aprica includes the lesser-known 19.km climb of Goretto di Cadino, the well-known but somewhat easier Passo del Mortillo on the Monno side, and the steep The climb of the Valico di Santa Cristina, made famous by Marco Pantani in 1994, is included in the list. Stage 17 to Lavarone will be a double climb finale, stage 19 is a hard day during the visit to Slovenia, and stage 20 will end on the summit of Marmorada before a 17.4 km time trial around Verona on Sunday.

Calapaz won the maglia rosa on stage 14, as he did in 2019. That year's Corsa Rosa also finished its time trial in Verona, and Ecuadorians expect a similar final week and result.

"I feel even better than I did in 2019, even if the victory was far from a sure thing then, so I feel even more confident for the week ahead," Calapaz said in a video from the Ineos Grenadiers team bus parked on a rest day near Lake Garda He said in a video call from the Ineos Grenadiers team bus parked on a rest day near Lake Garda.

"The week ahead will be even more favorable. It's a long climb to the top of the climb.

"We've been concentrating on getting stronger for these mountain stages. We have the maglia rosa and we are motivated to defend it, there are no quiet days throughout the week. The key is to stay focused, take it one day at a time, and minimize losses. We are ready to leave everything to the road. The team is calm and optimistic about what lies ahead in the next week."

Calapaz and several teammates took a helicopter to travel from Cogne to Salo on the third day of rest. After the stage, Kalapas had to fulfill podium protocols, media obligations, and anti-doping controls, but his teammates and the helicopter were waiting for him.

Kalapas also took care to praise and encourage his teammates. They missed the finale of the Turin stage, but returned to their usual best on Sunday, riding a solid and consistent tempo on the climbs and holding off attacks.

"The final week is all about team strength," noted Karapas.

"If you get caught up alone, you pay the price. The team is strong in the mountains with Richie, Pavel (Sivakov), Ben (Tallet), and Castroviejo (Jonathan).

"Most of our rivals were either alone or had few teammates on Sunday. There were five of us in the stage finale to Cogne, and in a hard final week, it's important to have at least one teammate by your side in the decisive moments. I'm very motivated."

"The key to this Giro really starts tomorrow. Tuesday's stage is 5,000 meters and you will start to get tired," explained Karapas.

"I think the big mountain stages over the next four days are going to be the biggest deciding factor in who wins the Giro. The time trial finals will not be so decisive as to who will or will not win the Giro."

Calapaz is in the pink on rest days, as it will be in 2019, but the overall standings are much tougher this year. Kalapas leads Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) by just seven seconds, Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) is third by 30 seconds, and Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) is still a threat by 59 seconds. All four have strong teams and are expected to emerge as contenders for the final podium.

"We have an idea who will be in contention for the jersey. We have Hindley and Almeida, and Landa is a big contender."

Humid clouds over Lake Garda and Salo are expected to bring thunderstorms to Aprica late Tuesday afternoon.

He has fallen twice but escaped injury. Carapas, however, dismissed the idea that bad weather, wet downhill conditions, or cold conditions would add extra stress.

"It's been really, really hot so far. If it rains tomorrow, we'll see how we handle it.

"We're ready to take on whatever the mountains throw at us. I'm not too worried about the weather."