Team Sky have always struggled at Giro d'Italia, their scientific logic and marginal gains meaning little on the torturous and unpredictable roads of the Corsa Rosa. But this year, with Geraint Thomas and Mikel Landa as equal leaders, the British super team is hoping to end their annual embarrassment and finally add the Italian Grand Tour to its long list of important victories.
Dave Brailsford and his performance staff believe that the talented Welshman can prove his Grand Tour ability or that the unpredictable Basque climber can finally live up to expectations and race consistently all the way to Milan. It will be fascinating to see how they both handle the 3612km race and see how they finish in Milan on May 28.
Team Sky has won the Tour de France four times in the last five years with its tried and tested strategy but has stumbled year after year in Italy.
ADVERTISEMENT
Bradley Wiggins gave Team Sky a great start in its inaugural season in 2010, winning the opening time trial of the Giro d'Italia in Amsterdam. The Giro d'Italia has been a series of trials and tribulations ever since. Wiggins crashed the day after pulling on the pink jersey and only finished 22nd overall.
Wiggins won the 2012 Tour de France and started the 2013 Giro d'Italia as the star of the race but he was sulking and downbeat after being told he would not lead Team Sky at the Tour de France. He finished second in the individual time trial but struggled on the slippery roads of the Apennines and quit before stage 13 due to a chest infection. In Wiggins' absence, Rigoberto Uran stepped up to finish third overall, then left the team at the end of the season.
Team Sky thought Richie Porte could do better in 2015 but he was infamously docked two minutes for an illegal wheel change, crashed hard and quit due to his injuries in the Dolomites. Landa was signed from Astana after finishing third overall in the 2015 Giro d'Italia but in 2016 he struggled during with illness during his first winter at Team Sky, and was hit by a stomach bug in the Giro, forcing him to quit on stage 10.
- Landa: I won't be lacking Team Sky support at the Giro d'Italia
- Landa looking to wipe the slate clean at 2017 Giro d'Italia
- Thomas takes morale boost into Giro d'Italia after winning Tour of the Alps
- Geraint Thomas: Catalunya kicking gave me the reality check I needed for the Giro
- Sky and the Giro d'Italia: The highs and lows since 2010
Thomas: a simple outsider or potentially much more?
- Recon Ride: Giro d'Italia - Podcast
- Sardinia prepares for Giro d'Italia Grande Partenza - Gallery
- Racism flares up at Romandie, Froome's form, and Giro picks - podcast
- Giro d'Italia 2017: 5 key stages
- Giro d'Italia 2017: The essential guide
Landa is back to his best
Cioni is in charge of any internal rivalry
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://ift.tt/2pGn0bf
No comments:
Post a Comment