There are just over 24 hours to go until the start of the 106th Giro d’Italia which will begin with the Fossacesia Marina-Ortona Costa dei Trabocchi Tudor ITT and end on May 28 in the splendid scenario of the Imperial Fora in Rome. The list of 176 riders who will battle over the 21 stages, including big names, both regarded as favorites in the final GC and as stage hunters and sprinters, was announced today.
TAKING A SHOT AT THE MAGLIA ROSA
Among the big favourites for the Maglia Rosa are World Champion Remco Evenepoel, winner of this year’s UAE Tour, and Primoz Roglic, the Maglia Azzurra at the most recent Tirreno-Adriatico. There are many riders who are willing to write their name on the Trofeo Senza Fine. Among the participants, the only one having done so is Tao Geoghegan Hart (2020), recent winner of the Tour of The Alps. The Briton will be one of the captains of Ineos Grenadiers, who will line up at the start the 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas. Other contenders for the Maglia Rosa include João Almeida, Damiano Caruso, Alexsandr Vlasov, Hugh Carthy and Rigoberto Uran. A special mention for Thibaut Pinot, who will start his final Giro d’Italia.
THE CHALLENGE FOR THE MAGLIA CICLAMINO
There are also top-notch candidates among sprinters who aiming for the Maglia Ciclamino as their big target. One of the favourites is undoubtedly Mark Cavendish, the active rider with the most victories in the Giro (16), and winner of the points classification in 2013. His direct rivals will include Mads Pedersen, World Champion in 2019, and former Maglia Ciclamino winners like Pascal Ackermann and Fernando Gaviria. The list of top sprinters also includes Michael Matthews, Alberto Dainese, Magnus Cort Nielsen, Simone Consonni, Niccolò Bonifazio and Kaden Groves.
CLIMBERS SETTING THEIR SIGHTS ON THE MAGLIA AZZURRA
Koen Bouwman, 2022 Maglia Azzurra and winner of two stages, will be at the start, same as Lennard Kämna, winner on Mount Etna in 2022. Two climbers like Jay Vine and Warren Barguil, both taking on their first Giro, could be included in the list of pretenders to the Maglia Azzurra.
YOUNGSTERS AIMING FOR THE MAGLIA BIANCA
The special classification for riders born after 1 January 1998 sees Remco Evenepoel as the main favourite. Contending for the Maglia Bianca besides the Belgian ace will be João Almeida, whom we’ve already mentioned above and who already stepped on the podium in this classification in 2020, and Santiago Buitrago, who won a stage in 2022. Outsiders will be Thymen Arensman and ‘newcomers’ Ben Healy and Andreas Leknessund.
STAGE HUNTERS
The field of contenders for time trial specialists is outstanding, starting with Filippo Ganna and his rivals Stefan Küng and Edoardo Affini. Among the riders looking for a stage win, with options as outsiders in the general classification, are Jack Haig, Pavel Sivakov, Lorenzo Fortunato, Bauke Mollema, Einer Rubio, Eddie Dunbar and the evergreen Domenico Pozzovivo. The field of finisseurs is also wide, with big-name contestants such as Alberto Bettiol, Lorenzo Rota, Diego Ulissi, Vincenzo Albanese, Alessandro De Marchi, Gianni Moscon, Bob Jungels, Andrea Vendrame, Stefano Oldani, Luis León Sánchez and Filippo Zana.
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