Soudal-QuickStep have introduced their squad for the upcoming Giro d’Italia, with Fausto Masnada a shock omission from the eight-man choice to help Remco Evenepoel.
The world champion, among the many main favourites for the maglia rosa this month, heads up the Belgian crew, which is stuffed out with an anticipated lineup of climbers and rouleurs.
Evenepoel returns to the race for the primary time since his debut two years in the past, the place he struggled on the descents and gravel roads on his first race since a career-threatening crash on the 2021 Il Lombardia.
This time round, he involves the Grande Partenza in Abruzzo sporting the rainbow bands as world champion, with victories on the 2022 Vuelta a España, UAE Tour, and two Liège-Bastogne-Liège titles filling his palmarès within the final 12 months.
He is among the many prime favourites for last glory in Rome, and a month-long battle with the likes of Primož Roglič and Geraint Thomas is anticipated to unfold over the course of the race.
Evenepoel and his rivals will arrive in Italy on Wednesday, with the opening time trial on Saturday alongside the Adriatic coast.
Climbers Ilan Van Wilder and Jan Hirt are among the many key riders on the crew, having skilled with Evenepoel on the prolonged altitude coaching camps on Mount Teide in latest months together with Pieter Serry and Louis Vervaeke.
Masnada, who was listed within the provisional begin listing, was one other rider who spent weeks on the Tenerife volcano, however the Giro 2019 stage winner is not within the last choice.
The Italian did not begin the ultimate stage of the latest Tour de Romandie, although no motive has but been given for his omission from the squad.
All-rounder Mattia Cattaneo and fellow Italian, sprinter Davide Ballerini make the minimize. Romandie prologue winner Josef Cerny rounds out the eight-man squad.
“Racing in Italy is at all times particular. I adore it there, I like the superb tifosi and their ardour for biking, so I’m enthusiastic about being in the beginning of this Giro,” Evenepoel stated in a crew press launch.
“In fact, doing it as world champion makes it much more particular, as I’m eager on honouring this stunning rainbow jersey that I’ll sport day by day for the following three weeks. There isn’t any secret that I goal to do a very good common classification. I can depend on an excellent crew, we’re all motivated and ready to do our greatest.”
Davide Bramati will lead Evenepoel and the crew from the Soudal-QuickStep crew automotive.
“It is time for the season’s first Grand Tour and we will not wait to get issues began, particularly as we’ll race it with the world champion in our ranks,” the Italian directeur sportif stated.
“We journey to Italy with a powerful crew, riders who’re all decided to do a very good race, present the Wolfpack spirit and assist Remco get the very best consequence within the common classification.”
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