The Ineos Grenadiers mountain train was again in full force at the Tour de l'Alps, protecting Tao Geoghegan Hart, chasing the day's breakaway group and holding off an attack on the final climb.

The sight of five riders lining up to hurt the peloton on the climb was reminiscent of when Team Sky dominated the Tour de France with a mountain train to protect Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome. The Ineos Grenadiers now dominate the Tour de Alps.

Geoghegan Hart is now 2-for-2, leading Felix Gall (AG2R-Citroen) by 18 seconds, with Hugh Kersee (EF Education-Easy Post) in third at 22 seconds. Pavel Sivakov is fourth overall by 28 seconds, giving Ineos Grenadiers a second option for the final mountain stage and Wednesday's 15km climb to Bretonico San Valentino.

"We are definitely the strongest team as far as I am concerned. In the end, all I had to do was lead the last 70 meters of the stage," Geoghegan Hart said after his second consecutive stage win, full of praise and pride for his teammates. [Pavel Sivakov made it very easy for me today. He put together a great race. Ben Swift and Salvatore Puccio also worked all day and rode smart and strong. We also have a Tour de France champion in Geraint Thomas and two riders in the top 10 in the Grand Tours. It was also great to see Timen Arensmen, who was not in perfect shape yesterday, in good form. He showed true talent and leg strength."

"If you look at the VAM on the last climb yesterday, it was very high. I am so happy to see the level we all have is very, very high. It's good to see all the hard work we've put in over the past month pay off. This group has done quite a lot together this year.

Ineos Grenadiers has dominated the race, sending seven of the eight Giro d'Italia team members to the Tour de Alps. Filippo Ganna provides additional power in the Corsa Rosa, and Luke Rowe is a candidate to replace him.

Of course, Geoghegan Hart and Ineos Grenadiers are aware that the Giro d'Italia is a very different race from the Tour de Alps. All 18 WorldTour teams, including Lemko Evenepoel (Suredal-Quick Step) and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma), will be competing for the overall victory.

Ineos Grenadiers could be in contention for the overall win, with Geraint Thomas riding his best on the Corsa Rosa, Geoghegan Hart, Sivakov, and possibly Allenman. They will surely try to show their overall strength to attack their two main rivals.

Captain Matteo Tosatto will probably let Soudal Quick Step and Jumbo Visma control the race for most of the three weeks, but he will certainly deploy the Ineos mountain train if Thomas or Geoghan Hart have a chance to win.

Geoghegan Hart prefers to compare Ineos Grenadiers to a soccer team with multiple game plans and formations. He warns not to expect the Ineos Grenadiers to dominate in the Giro d'Italia, but they will be looking for a win in Rome on May 28.

"The Giro will be a completely different race. The World Tour races are a different style of racing, but I am confident in the level the riders are showing," explained Geoghegan Hart.

"Every race is different and the circumstances are always different; in 2020 (the race in which Thomas crashed in the early stages and Geoghegan Hart emerged in the closing laps to take Maria Rosa) we were never in the lead. It's important to adapt your tactics."

"Modern cycling means that every day is different. Many times in this year's race, I have seen the race unfold quite far from the finish.

"The Grand Tour is a long fight, so the important thing is not to get carried away. We will keep doing what we have been doing. The results are a validation of our work, but stay true to our methodology, that is the most important thing."

"Rome is not built in a day, but in this year's Giro all roads lead to Rome. We just have to keep pursuing that goal and see what happens at the end of May."