Ineos Grenadiers hinted to Cycling News that he is not afraid to take the lead in the Giro d'Italia, sending Richard Karapas to the maglia rosa in Turin.

In fact, Kalapas took the maglia rosa on stage 14, just as he did three years ago when he won the Giro d'Italia in Verona. Calapaz and Ineos Grenadiers have since won more victories and evolved as a team, but the possibility of a third consecutive Giro d'Italia remains.

"I didn't remember winning the maglia rosa three years ago on stage 14, but I'm happy to do it again, I have more experience than when I first won the maglia rosa three years ago and the team supports me. The last week will be very competitive and quite complicated," said Carapaz after the stage after winning his ninth career Maria Rosa.

"It was a hard day and Bora-Hansgrohe was very aggressive. Beulah Hansgrohe was very aggressive. I felt good despite the heat and the explosion of racing. Bora-Hansgrohe was so aggressive on the descents that some of my teammates got caught behind her. But tomorrow (Sunday) will be a completely different race with more mountains. We will have to defend."

Kalapas leads Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) by just 7 seconds. João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) is in third place, 30 seconds behind after losing precious seconds, and Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) is within a minute, 59 seconds behind.

These four riders will likely contend for the overall win in this year's Giro d'Italia. The race starts Sunday with a mountain stage to Cogne in the Italian Alps, then heads north through the hills of Aprica, Lavarone, and Friuli, a steppe finish at Passo Fedaia near the Marmolada glacier, and a final 17.4 km time trial around Verona.

"The week ahead will be very complicated, with many mountains ahead and some important stages, so it will be a tough race," Karapas warned.

Matteo Tosatto, sport director of the lead Ineos Grenadier, is aware of the difficulties ahead. He also saw Kalapas alone after the first climb of Sperga, after the other Ineos Grenadiers riders had left, but was pleased to get Maria Rosa, as Cycling News predicted.

"I knew the Turin stage was a great opportunity to win the jersey," Tosat said.

"Richie didn't win the stage, but we got the pink jersey. He also shortened the times of his main rivals like Landa and Almeida.

"It's a different Giro now. It's a different Giro, not only for us with Maria Rosa in our hands, but also for our rivals and the riders who want to win the Giro. We knew that from here on the overall standings would change a lot and become clearer."

Ineos Grenadiers will have to defend a slim lead over Calapaz from Sunday's 177-km stage from Rivarolo Canavese to Cogne.

The stage includes the 6.9% 12.3 km climb of Pila-les-Fleurs after 104 km, the 7.1% 13.8 km climb of Verlogne, and the gentle and constant main road to Cogne. 22.4 km long, with a steep climb past 6.2 km, but ideal for improving team performance and for the Ineos Grenadiers mountain train.

"Sunday's stage is a real mountain stage," warns Tosat.

"And it comes after a short but intense stage around Turin, like a classic race.

"And then there's the tough final week, starting on Tuesday after the last rest day. We can expect the weather to change, and that could be a factor in shaking up the race. But we are ready to race. Beulah Hansgrohe was strong and impressive. They took on the stage and the responsibility. If they want to win the Giro, I hope they do so again."