IT’S JAI TIME IN GIRO
YATES MY PICK
THE Giro d’Italia starts on Saturday in Turin with an 8.6km individual time trial and will finish in Milan on May 30.
The Giro is my favourite race. I rode it 40 years ago and I’ve covered quite a few for the Addy over the years.
This year, because of COVID, I will be, like many of you, glued to SBS each night watching the live coverage.
It is always a tough course with giant mountains in the Alps and Dolomites that are much steeper than those in the Tour de France.
But it’s the fans who make the race so special.
Where the Tour de France has become the bucket list event to watch, the Giro attracts the real lovers of cycling.
Eight Australians will line up among the 184 starters, with young Jai Hindley the standout for a chance at the overall victory.
The young West Australian burst on to the world scene in last year’s edition, delivering a brilliant overall performance finishing second, frustratingly close to overall victory.
The reigning Herald Sun Tour champion wore the maglia rosa, the pink leaders’ jersey into the final stage only to have it snatched away by Welshman Tao Geoghegan Hart by a mere 39 seconds.
Hindley’s preparation has been hindered by illness and a crash that forced him out of the Tour of the Alps but he is a class rider and his DSM team is fully supportive.
Two of his strongest teammates are Aussies — Bendigo’s Chris Hamilton, who is riding his third Giro, and fellow West Australian Michael Storer, an excellent climber who has ridden three Vueltas (Tour of Spain).
Australian team BikeExchange has four
Aussies in its team but they will be focused on supporting Englishman Simon Yates.
Michael Hepburn is riding his fifth Giro and will be an integral part of the engine room that will control the race on the flatter stages.
National road champion Cameron Meyer, riding his sixth Giro, will be a key rider in keeping Yates in the best position in the flatter stages.
South Australian Callum Scotson will also be strong on the flatter stages but will be crucial in the smaller climbs.
Brisbane’s Nick Schultz is riding his first Giro but has ridden four Vueltas and his strong climbing ability will be important in the final week.
The bookies have Yates second favourite behind Colombian Egan Bernal but he is my pick for the title.
He has unfinished business at the Giro. In 2018, he dominated but cracked on the final mountain stage, where Chris Froome put on one of
Englishman Simon Yates (left) will lead the charge for Aussie team BikeExchange; and (above) Lotto Soudal’s Australian rider Caleb Ewan.
the most amazing displays seen to snatch victory.
His biggest threat will come from the powerful UK squad Ineos Grenadiers.
Although Geoghegan Hart, the defending champion is not on the start list, 2019 Tour de France winner Bernal, riding his first Giro, will be perfectly suited to this year’s course.
But Bernal has missed the lead-up races to concentrate on altitude training.
If he is found wanting then Ineos also has rising young Russian star Pavel Sivakov, who Geelong fans may remember for his second placing in the Cadel Evans Road Race last year.
Pocket rocket Caleb Ewan will be out to add to his three stage wins in the Giro. Although his form has been patchy, Ewan is the best sprinter here and will be the focus of his Lotto Soudal team.
He feels that because most of the teams only have limited lead-out trains there is the potential for plenty of drama. “All those guys will be waiting until the last minutes to do their lead out because you can’t start from 10km out with three guys,” Ewan said in a pre-race press conference.
“If there’s a lot of teams trying to do the same thing, then it’s going to be chaotic.”
One of his main rivals will be Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen in his first race back from a nine-month suspension for causing a horrific crash in last year’s Tour of Poland.
Deceuninck-Quick Step has a three-pronged attack with young superstar Remco Evenepoel having his first start since breaking his pelvis in the Tour of Lombardy one-day classic last August.
The bookies have him third favourite but I would be surprised if the 21-year-old Belgian makes the podium.
His Portuguese teammate Joao Almeida, however, is a definite chance.
The 22-year-old was the revelation of last year’s Giro wearing the pink jersey for most of the event before finishing fourth.
Then there is Italian Fausto Masnada who finished ninth last year and showed strong climbing form to finish third in last week’s Tour de Romandie.
Spaniard Mikel Landa is the undisputed leader of Bahrain Victorious.
His grand tour pedigree is impressive, with two Giro third placings, plus top 10 in the past four tours in France.
Russian Aleksandr Vlasov will lead the strong Astana Premier Tech team.
A fine second overall in Paris-Nice shows Vlasov is in fine form.
Englishman Hugh Carthy will lead the EF EducationNippo squad and is a threat.
The Englishman finished third in last year’s Vuelta and has good climbing form.
Italian superstar Vincenzo Nibali is a surprise starter after fracturing his wrist three weeks ago.
Nibali’s best days may be behind him, but his attacking style should light up the race.
Jumbo-Visma has given Kiwi George Bennett his first tilt at leading the team in a grand tour.
This year’s Giro is a classic course, with eight mountain finishes and a serious gravel challenge before a tough final week, finishing with a 30km individual time trial in Milan.