Following the presentation of the 2019 Giro d'Italia route in Milan on Wednesday, you can be certain that those top-name riders who already know they're likely to be taking part next May will be scurrying to reconnoitre some of the key climbs and stages on which they're hoping to be able to distance their rivals.
We detail five of the most important stages of a race that seemingly has it all, from the fast and flat opening week for the sprinters to the five summit finishes that come in the latter half of the race, with all of that punctuated by three individual time trial stages, totalling 58.5 kilometres against the clock: the opening stage in Bologna, stage 9 from Riccione to San Marino, and the final stage in Verona.
Race director Mauro Vegni has hinted that those riders lining up in Bologna on May 11 could include Bahrain Merida's Vincenzo Nibali – Giro winner in 2013 and 2016 – and UAE Team Emirates' Fabio Aru, who finished second at the race in 2015, and third in 2014.
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Other possible starters include Team Sky's Chris Froome – the defending Giro champion – and teammate Geraint Thomas, who's talked about his "unfinished business" at the race, which was the 2018 Tour de France winner's main objective back in 2017, until a crash saw him forced to retire with a shoulder and knee injury in the second week.
Thomas and Froome would both start the 2019 Giro as firm favourites, as the relatively high number of time trial kilometres across three stages would suit them down to the ground, and possibly turn the 2019 Giro into a two-horse race – especially if 2017 Giro champion Tom Dumoulin chooses not to return to the race that he also finished second at last year.
Dumoulin and his Sunweb team suggested last month that two Grand Tours in 2018 had been a stretch for the Dutchman, and that despite also taking second place to Thomas at the Tour de France last year, the 27-year-old may go all in on the hunt for Tour victory in 2019, to the detriment of the Giro.
Stage 9: Riccione to San Marino, 34.7km ITT (May 19)
Stage 13: Pinerolo to Ceresole Reale (Lago Serrù), 188km (May 24)
Stage 14: Saint Vincent to Courmayeur, 131km (May 25)
Stage 16: Lovere to Ponte di Legno, 226km (May 28)
Stage 20: Feltre to Croce d'Aune-Monte Avena, 193km (June 1)
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/giro-ditalia-2019-5-key-stages
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