Esteban Chaves is feeling no pressure but he has confirmed he will try to win the 99th edition of the Giro d'Italia. He has to make up 2'12" on surprise leader Steven Kruijswilk (LottoNL Jumbo).

"I’m as hungry for success as any other rider in the world but we can only try to do our best, both me and the team. If we can carry on as we have so far in the Giro, it’ll be fantastic. If we slip back, it’ll still be good because we’ll have given our all", he told Cyclingnews. 

"I didn’t smile back then, perhaps for 15 months. I smiled again when Orica-GreenEdge gave me a chance and gave me a three-year contract. When I felt part of this team I started to smile again. I’m serious for sure. I train like a serious guy, I take life seriously too. But if you smile and enjoy life, it doesn’t mean you’re not serious."

He thinks that Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Pro Team) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) will try to attack too. "I think Nibali and Valverde are still hungry. Both Astana and Movistar still haven’t won stages, Valverde isn’t on the podium but wants to get in there and Nibali wants to try to win the Giro for sure. But we’re happy and cool and we’ll go on in the race and see what happens."