184 competitors will start touring Italy, facing 21 stages and almost 3,500 kilometers of racing in three weeks. This time the spring race starts in Hungary.
For the first big tour of the season, the Giro d’Italia, it’s hard to name a pre-favorite this year. Last spring, the race won Egan Bernal is not involved in the race to defend his first place.
Tough missing Slovenian pedalers are also missing from the starting list Tadej Pogačar and Primož Rogličwhich would have added to the excitement of the race if they were involved.
On the other hand, the lack of big pre-favorites from the race makes it quite interesting in advance. Almost anyone but even the runner-up in their team’s first or toughest team can step on to win the overall race.
The biggest expectations for winning the overall race are for Ineos Grenadiers Richard CarapaziinBikeExchage-Jaycon Simon YatesAstana Qazaqstanin Miguel Ángel LópeziinUAE Team Emirates João Almeidaan and the Bahrain Virctorious Mikel Landaan.
Three hardest
Speaking for Olympic winner Carapaz in the race, he has won Giro before. The Ecuadorian pedaler was number one in the race in 2019. In addition, he has also excelled in other major laps.
So the experience of a 28-year-old cyclist can already be found. His strength is steadfastness, he excels in both ups and downs.
In addition, there is excellent support in the stable. From the list of auxiliary drivers when found, among other things, France has shown its ability to drive around Richie Porte and reached the top in the long races Pavel Sivakov.
Yates has previously had difficulty enduring a three-week period, but he has developed his stamina in recent years. He has been third at best in Italy. He has won a tour of Spain in 2018 and has also been in the top races in France.
This season, Yates has already shown himself in excellent condition. He was second in the Paris-Nice stage, when Roglič won.
Like Carapaz, Yates is a good hill driver and usually does well in time. However, Yates’ assistants are a few notches weaker than their rivals, making Carapaz’s path to winning easier, at least in advance than Yates.
Almeida is a stronger time trial than Carapazia and Yates, but there are only two time trials in the program in this year’s Giro. In order to succeed in the overall race, Almeida has to show that he is also at the level of the best days on the hill sections.
Although Almeida is only 23 years old, he is already in fourth and sixth place in his pocket in Italy. He has shown that he can withstand the stress of a three-week race.
Even mountaineers have their chances
Known as an excellent hill driver, Landa’s chances of winning depend largely on how she endures three weeks of stress. Often, his chances of winning the grand tours have fallen precisely on the strains of the race – the level of earnings has plummeted at an important moment.
However, he is assisted by one of the strongest ranks of helpers Pello Bilbaon and Damiano Caruson under. They may well become, if necessary, the number one driver in their stable.
López is also excellent when traveling in the mountains. He also has the help of an excellent teammate, who also celebrated Giro’s victory Vincenzo Nibali. However, López’s stumbling blocks are time trials where a teammate isn’t helpful. The difference to the top in two stages can be too much for the victory of the overall race.
Of course, others have a chance to win as well. At least Tom Dumoulin, Wilko Keldermanin, Jai Hindley, Alejandro Valverden, Bauke Molleman, Guillaume Martinin and Roman Bardet’n extracts should be monitored within three weeks. The list of those fighting for the stage victories is even longer.
From Hungary via Sicily to Verona
In total, the 105th Giro d’Italia in history treads 3,445.6 kilometers. This time, only 26.6 kilometers of them are driven as a time trial. First on Saturday in Budapest as less than ten kilometers away and, as usual, as the final stage of the race, with 17.4 kilometers left in the three-week race.
The system familiar from previous years, the time trial every week, is therefore not valid in Italy this time. In recent years, time trials have become crucial and have brought more excitement to the race. Although there are now only two time trials, the race will be interesting because there are no overwhelming pre-favorites involved.
The first three stages of the race will be run in Hungary this time. In addition to the short time trial, two long stages are trampled, one just below the other and the other a little over 200 kilometers, which are driven in rolling terrain.
For the fourth stage, the riders will travel to Sicily, where the first mountain is already ahead. The 172-kilometer leg culminates on Mount Etna.
In all, there have been six tough mountain stages in the 21-stage race, half of which will only be trampled in the final week, and the second race week will end in the mountain stage – so there must be strength left at the end of the race if you want to be in the fight.
And, of course, the ascent kilometers are not limited to the toughest mountain ranges. There are a total of 50,580 meters of ascent in the race.
Tailed to battle in individual stages
184 competitors will start the race, one of whom is Finnish. Jaakko Hänninen is part of the AG2R Citroën team. His main task in the race is to tread as an assistant to the team’s number one driver, Felix Gallille.
As the race progresses, you can also open places for Hänninen to drive in individual stages from good places. Touring Italy is the second career for Hänninen.
Hänninen’s early season has been difficult. He has been involved in crashes that have caused back pain, among other things. In addition, he is ill otherwise.
However, in the race that preceded Italy, the Finnish pedaler had already recovered from his bumps and illnesses. He will be able to start the race in good condition.
Although there are no other Finns among the competitors, another Finn is touring with the race team – who has been touring Italy seven times Jussi Veikkanen. He will be the team leader of the Groupama-FDJ team in the race.