‘Not fair’ on Sam Welsford to put him in the Giro d’Italia, say Bora-Hansgrohe

Amid the polemica surrounding Emanuel Buchmann’s omission from Bora-Hansgrohe’s Giro d’Italia line-up, fuelled by the German’s own barbed social media comments, Sam Welsford’s absence has flown somewhat under the radar.

That’s because the Australian sprinter has raised no fuss about the matter in the public eye, but he is understood to be highly disappointed not to be making his Giro d'Italia debut this May.

"It was definitely a tough one for him,” said Bora-Hansgrohe’s directeur sportif Bernhard Eisel, discussing the decision with GCN ahead of stage 2.

Welsford signed for Bora-Hansgrohe over the winter, having impressed in his first two years as a pro with Team DSM, where he made his Grand Tour debut at last year’s Tour de France. He flew out of the traps this year with three stage wins at the Tour Down Under, but hasn’t won since January and, according to his team, is not in the form required to handle the Giro d’Italia.

“Of course, it’s a pity, but having him here and not having the legs to contest with the best ones, that is not fair on him,” Eisel said.

The experienced Austrian stopped short of saying the decision was for Welsford’s own ‘protection’, but suggested there would have been a level of pressure and expectation that would have been unhealthy to fall short of.

“You can always hope for a surprise, but you would be picking on him, newspapers would be picking on him, and television, [asking] why, why, why...

“It wasn’t an easy decision - it was a very, very, very tough one - but at some time when you look at the numbers and you look at the progression, and setting somebody up with hope, then you’re making a big mistake, because you will be unhappy with his performance, he will be unhappy. Why do this to him?”

Asked to specify whether it was a lack of results or a lack of evidence of physical condition, Eisel said: “The power is there, it’s just replicating the power after efforts. The Giro might look like there are nine potential sprints but there’s a lot of climbing in between.

"If you’re not in the best shape you can be for a Grand Tour, with the sprint field we have here, it’s a tricky one. Leading up, it wasn’t [the case] that he showed us he is there, then it’s just not fair.”

Read more: Giro d’Italia: Emanuel Buchmann hits out after Bora-Hansgrohe non-selection

Step forward the lead-out man

What has clouded the decision, and perhaps rubbed salt in Welsford’s wounds, is the fact that his lead-out man Danny van Poppel was retained in the team’s line-up, and will now carry the torch in what is a world-class field of sprinters.

“Oh he can win sprints. He can win a stage here,” Eisel said, insisting the Dutchman was not just making up the numbers.

"You can’t jeopardise the whole race programme of everyone because one [rider] is out. With the big sprinters, we’ll see how the race unfolds over the three weeks, who’s still there towards the end, how he goes. But he’s pretty eager, his form is good, and he wants to show it.”

Van Poppel used to be a sprinter himself but has chosen to carve out a role for himself as a lead-out specialist, and has become one of the best in the world at it. He has not lost the winning touch, taking two victories last year, but will have to flick the switch at this Giro. Not that it’s anything new. At the 2022 Tour de France, he was in the exact same position, following the non-selection of Sam Bennett.

“We can’t go out there and say Danny is now the number one sprinter,” Eisel said. “We know if it comes down to a one-on-one with Tim Merlier, I guess Tim Merlier is a bit faster. We are not naive. We have to look where really are our chances, and focus on some of the harder days."

As for Welsford, it’s unclear how he’ll be spending his May, but Eisel suggested there will be no lasting bad blood.

“We focus on the future races. He is producing some form now, he will be racing pretty soon again, and we move on.

“We shouldn’t forget it’s an Olympic year so it’s a big big year for him. We’re in very good dialogue with him and I think we’re on the right path with him.”

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