In Tirreno-Adriatico on Thursday, Tom Pidcock crashed before he could contend for the stage win and Filippo Ganna lost the race to Leonard Kemna, but Tao Geoghegan Hart rode well on the climb to Tortoreto, finishing in fifth place.

Pidcock had a lot of road rash and probably had a tough night, but he finished stage 4 and quickly reassured everyone that he was not hurt.

Ganna struggled on the four climbs to Tortoleto, but was separated with 2.3 km to go when the final climb began. However, he was caught up on the final climb with 2.3 km to go, dropping him to 55th overall.

"I felt good, but when Julien Alaphilippe attacked on the second climb, it was painful. I had to carry more weight up there than he and the other guys," Ganna said.

"I should have raced for Tom, but he crashed, so I switched to plan B. I was happy with my performance. Tao is in good shape, and Timen Arensman is doing well.

Geoghegan Hart had a much more enjoyable day, coming out on top on the final climb as the speed picked up and everyone suffered.

He seemed to sprint for the win, but Primoš Roglic had more power in his final kick to the line, leaving the 2020 Giro d'Italia winner frustrated as he came so close to winning.

"I thought I had the legs to win, but a finish like that was a subtle difference. He told Cycling News.

Geoghegan Hart had two mistakes.

"When Hugh Carthy went in the last kilometer, he was super strong. I probably should have just kept going and gone over him. It was a really difficult finish."

Geoghegan Hart won the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in February with a similar finish, but admitted to making a mistake as the top riders in Tirreno-Adriatico were taking it to a sprinting contest.

"I didn't want to be first at the last corner, but I let one of them pass and three of them went through that gap," he explained.

"I started to run towards Enric Mas on the final straight, but I went to the side of the barrier and had to brake, so the other guys passed me. Little things like this make such a difference in the finish."

Geoghegan Hart moved up to 8th place overall, 19 seconds behind Kemna.

His teammate Allen Mann was 39 seconds behind in 45th place overall. Magnus Sheffield also dropped out of overall contention, leaving Geoghegan Hart as the leading contender for the overall win for the Ineos Grenadiers.

The Londoner won the 2020 Giro d'Italia after showing consistent climbing ability. He hopes to show similar skills on Friday in the mountain finish to Sassottet.

There is a chance of snow on the final climb, but race organizer RCS Sport has announced that the stage will go ahead.

Looking inland from the Adriatic coast, the high Apennines loom large on the horizon, but Geoghegan Hart seems ready to give his all for the overall result.

"I think I'm in good shape," he told Cycling News.

"I had a problem with a tendon in my shoulder at Ruta del Sol, but I'm good to go. In Valencia I finished with a stage win and third overall. It was the same in Ruta. It's been a good two weeks since then.

Geoghegan Hart predicted that the best climbers and true overall contenders would emerge on Friday's mountain finish and Saturday's 20-plus steep "Murri" climbs.

"The rest of the race will be completely different. Friday's stage ends with a 13km climb to the finish. Today it's the Liège-Bastogne-Liège finish, and tomorrow it's a mountain finish.

"The team has several options. The fatigue of the past week is accumulating. The climb up to Sassottet is longer than the previous mountain finish. The gap was big then. I think Friday is a more important day than Saturday, but both days will be big and hard."

Giohegan Hart has had a tough two years since winning the Giro d'Italia, struggling with injuries and unable to regain his form on the Corsa Rosa. His contract with Ineos Grenadiers ends this year, and he faces competition for leadership from Ineos' new generation of young riders.

He will likely return with Geraint Thomas at the Giro d'Italia in May after riding the 2021 Tour de France and the 2022 Vuelta a España.

"I'm building my form well and taking things in stride," he said philosophically.

"After Tirreno-Adriatico, I'll do a training camp without racing for a month. The Giro is a strong possibility, but I am focused on the here and now. I've learned not to focus too far ahead."