Maxime Monfort had hoped to finish in the top 10 of the Giro d'Italia but at the third rest day, he finds himself down in 17th. A crash has been a major setback but the Belgian is ready to attack in the final week in a quest to move up in the standings.

At the beginning of the final Giro week Maxime Monfort is seventeenth in the general classification. Last Wednesday the leader of the Lotto Belisol team crashed in the stage to Savona. The consequences of it hindered him in the following days. In this last week the riders have to cover among other three mountain stages and a mountain time trial.

"Until the crash on Wednesday, in which also Dennis Vanendert was involved, all went well," Monfort said. "Of course the team time trial was disappointing and I had lost some time in the first mountain stage, but top ten was still possible. After the crash it went less smoothly and I couldn't perform 100% on my level in the time trial. I had sore muscles and couldn't exert full power.

"During the weekend there was some improvement, but I still lost time. It's a pity I don't stand where I wanted to be in GC, but the morale is still good. We have an entire week to go.

"If I attack in the next days there are possibilities to climb in GC. I have the ambition to race offensively during this last week. I don't want to get in a breakaway at all costs, the circumstances have to be right so it has a chance to succeed.

"Of course it's easier said than done, but it's definitely my ambition to attack. Hopefully a stage win is possible and if I win places in GC that's even better. We'll see what it gives. The toughest part of this Giro still has to come and you have to be able to handle that. This is my eleventh Grand Tour so I am experienced and that's definitely an advantage."