Polanc: I'm proud to be Slovenian

Before Jan Polanc could think about defending his maglia rosa, he was called upon to defend Slovenian cycling. The UAE Team Emirates rider moved into the overall lead of the Giro d'Italia following stage 12 from Cuneo to Pinerolo, leaving him more than four minutes ahead of fellow Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), but their achievements have been overshadowed by the implication of some compatriots in the Operation Aderlass blood doping inquiry.

Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan is Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.