The first Grand Tour of the season, Giro d’Italia is fast approaching and Team Giant-Shimano can now reveal the long-list of 12 riders from which nine will be selected nearer the time.
One rider Team Giant-Shimano can confirm will definitely be on the start line in May is four-time Tour de France stage winner in 2013, Marcel Kittel (GER).
“Our first goal for the Giro d’Italia is to go for a stage win and there are plenty of early opportunities for this with the flat stages,” said Kittel.
“I’ve had a good start this season and winning in Dubai with all the best sprinters was good for the confidence. I felt strong at the beginning of Tirreno, on Italian ground so I’m now looking forward to getting off to a good start in one of the biggest races on the cycling calendar.”
The eight other riders are yet to be finalised, however those in the frame include three-time podium finisher on stages of the 2013 edition, Luka Mezgec (SLO), as well as Tobias Ludvigsson (SWE) who finished fourth on stage nine last year.
The Giro d’Italia gets underway on 9th May in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with a 21.7km team time trial. This is followed by two more stages on the isle before the race moves back home to Italy.
The race this year differs from the norm, starting on a Friday before featuring three rest days, rather than the usual two but apart form that it is business as usual in the race for the Maglia Rosa – frantic sprints, tough mountains, stunning landscapes and of course a testing mountain time trial.
Pre-selection:
Nikias Arndt (GER)
Bert De Backer (BEL)
Johannes Fröhlinger (GER)
Simon Geschke (GER)
Marcel Kittel (GER) – Confirmed
Tobias Ludvigsson (SWE)
Luka Mezgec (SLO)
Tom Peterson (USA)
Georg Preidler (AUT)
Tom Stamsnijder (NED)
Albert Timmer (NED)
Tom Veelers (NED)
