The 106the The bike tour through Italy begins on Saturday in Fossacesia in Abruzzo with a 19-kilometer time trial in which Slovenian Primoz Roglic will challenge world champion Remco Evenepoel from the start.
The end of the spring classics always heralds the first major event of the season. Lately, the Giro has been more exciting a few times than the Tour de France, which was crushed under tremendous pressure.
In recent years, however, that consistency has been belied as a new generation of runners in their early 20s shook up the traditions. The young wolves are thirsty for victories because of their rousing running style, without savings.
A bit unpredictable, the route of the Tour of Italy 2023 should appeal to drivers and fans alike.
With 3,489 kilometers and 51,400 meters in altitude, climbers get their money’s worth. Three individual time trials over a total of 70.6 kilometers are planned, almost three times as much as last year.
Here are 5 sights not to be missed over the next three weeks.
1. The announced duel
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Remco Evenepoel (Soudal – Fast Step)
In the absence of Australian Jai Hindley, reigning champion, the Giro will crown a new winner.
At the risk of repeating ourselves, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step) and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) are the favorites this year.
The 33-year-old Slovenian from Jumbo-Visma, a three-time winner of the Tour of Spain, won the Tour of Catalonia and Tirreno-Adriatico this season.
For his part, Evenepoel, the 22-year-old “little cannibal”, won the United Arab Emirates and Liège-Bastogne-Liège Tour. He also finished second in the Tour of Catalonia, just behind Roglic.
Unfortunately for Roglic, recent years have shown that in big battles, younger drivers usually have the final say over their elders. However, the road to arrival in Rome on May 28 is very long.
The pundits also give odds to Tao Geoghegan Hart, winner of the 2020 Giro, Geraint Thomas, winner of the 2018 Tour de France, Joao Almeida, 4th in 2020, and Aleksandr Vlasov, 4th in 2021.
2. Covid again
Even if the pandemic seems to be behind us, a slight increase in positive cases is sowing doubts and worrying the peloton, which fears contagion as the start begins.
The Covid-19 is back and several runners who tested positive had to give up.
Primoz Roglic’s team is particularly affected, but the powerful jumbo has enough staff.
Robert Gesink, Tobias Foss and Jos van Emden will be absent.
The Bahrain team announced the withdrawal of Switzerland’s Gino Mäder, who the Soudal-Quick Step, fearing for their leader, told Remco Evenepoel would not share his room with any teammates.
3. One last round
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Thibaut Pinot (FDJ-Groupama)
This Giro will be the opportunity to see Frenchman Thibaut Pinot (FDJ-Groupama), who announced his retirement at the end of the season, in Italy for the last time. The 32-year-old, fourth in the 2017 Tour of Italy, is looking to win a stage and battle with the best, possibly for a top-10 finish in the general classification. The three vertical meter finishes in the third week should suit him. We could then see Quebec’s great friend Antoine Duchesne on the roads of next July’s Tour de France. Far from the limelight, he’ll be able to raise his goats in peace for those who don’t like the life of a star.
4. A little less pressure
The second largest race in the world is running as normal without the terrible pressure of July. The sums invested are enormous and for all professional teams, a stage win in the Tour de France for the main sponsor almost means the success or failure of a season. The absences of Wout van Aert, Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel in Italy should leave plenty of room for several rising stars to shine. Amateurs often emerge victorious.
5. Just a Canadian
With the retirement of Antoine Duchesne, all Canadian cards are now with Israel-Premier Tech, a team invited to Italy. The formation would normally host Guillaume Boivin, Hugo Houle and Michael Woods in the Tour de France. At the Giro d’Italia, rookie Derek Gee will be the only Canadian at the start. The 25-year-old from Ottawa was excited and nervous about his first major tour.
Domenico Pozzovivo, 40, will cycle his 17th Tour of Italy with Israel Premier Tech. Sebastian Berwick, Simon Clarke, Marco Frigo, Matthew Riccitello, Stevie Williams and Mads Wurtz Schmidt complete the team.
Derek Gee is the 2022 Canadian Time Trial Champion. He also finished fifth in the team pursuit at the Tokyo Olympics.