It's been an interesting build-up to the Giro D'Italia this season, with Richie Porte absolutely dominating the lead-up events, and Alberto Contador maintaining his favouritism status by being very strong in a few races. Rigoberto Uran has also been surprisingly strong throughout the early season, which is unusual for him and should signal a strong Giro. My preview will be team-by-team and more of a round-up of what a viewer should expect this week from each squad and each stage.
1- Flat 17.6 kms Team Time Trial
2- Flat 173 kms Sprint
3- Medium Mountains 136 kms Break/Reduced bunch
4- Hilly 150 kms Attackers/reduced bunch
5- Summit finish 152 kms GC contenders
6- Hilly 181 kms bunch finish
7- Milan San-Remo 263 kms Attackers/Sprint
8- Summit finish 184 kms GC/break
9- Medium Mountains 212 km / Break / Atttackers
10- Flat 195 kms Bunch Sprint
REST
11- Hilly 147 kms bunch sprint / reduced bunch
12- Flat 3 late climbs, uphill finish 190 kms
13-Flat 153 kms Sprint
14- Flattish 59.5 kms Time Trial
15- High Mountains 165 kms GC/break
16- Medium Mountains uphill finish 175 kms GC/puncheurs
17- Flat 136 km Sprint
18- Mountain 172 kms Break/GC
19- High Mountains 236 kms GC
20- High Mountains 196 kms GC
21- Flat 186 kms Sprint
2- Flat 173 kms Sprint
3- Medium Mountains 136 kms Break/Reduced bunch
4- Hilly 150 kms Attackers/reduced bunch
5- Summit finish 152 kms GC contenders
6- Hilly 181 kms bunch finish
7- Milan San-Remo 263 kms Attackers/Sprint
8- Summit finish 184 kms GC/break
9- Medium Mountains 212 km / Break / Atttackers
10- Flat 195 kms Bunch Sprint
REST
11- Hilly 147 kms bunch sprint / reduced bunch
12- Flat 3 late climbs, uphill finish 190 kms
13-Flat 153 kms Sprint
14- Flattish 59.5 kms Time Trial
15- High Mountains 165 kms GC/break
16- Medium Mountains uphill finish 175 kms GC/puncheurs
17- Flat 136 km Sprint
18- Mountain 172 kms Break/GC
19- High Mountains 236 kms GC
20- High Mountains 196 kms GC
21- Flat 186 kms Sprint
- AG2R
Key Riders: Domenico Pozzovivo, Carlos Betancur, Hubert Dupont, Hugo Houle
Objectives: Pozzovivo GC, breakaways non-GC days, mountains stages opportunism
Outcome: Pozzovivo rarely does a bad race and it would be a surprise to see him outside the top 5, even without a top-tier squad to support him here. There’s little expectation otherwise, aside from an unlikely Hugo Houle breakaway win!
Tactics: They will lose time on the TTT and the TT so they shouldn’t have to do much pace-setting for Pozzovivo, and can save energy for supporting him as far into the stages as possible, maybe setting Dupont up for having a go in reduced sprints.
Androni-Giacattoli
Key Riders: Franco Pelizotti, Davide Appollonio, Oscar Gatto, Simone Stortoni
Objectives: TV time, breakaways, reduced bunch sprints
Outcome: They’ll be active, and Gatto won’t be a mile off in a reduced bunch sprint, but their best chance will be from a lucky break.
Tactics: Get out the front and hope the peleton doesn’t feel like chasing.
Astana
Key Riders: Fabio Aru, Dario Cataldo, Mikel Landa, Diego Rosa, LL Sanchez, Paolo Tiralongo
Objectives: Aru GC, mountain stages
Outcome: They’ve got a lot of different options in the mountains, so I’d expect them to be on the attack even if Aru is in a good GC position, such is the team’s strength.
Tactics: Expect to see Astana with riders all over the road in the mountains stages, and to be on the defensive otherwise.
Bardiani CSF
Key Riders: Franceso Bongiorno, Enrico Battaglin, Enrico Barbin, Nicola Ruffoni, Stefano Pirazzi, Eduardo Zardini
Objectives: TV time, sprints, mountain breakaways, puncheur stages
Outcome: I can see them doing well in the mountains stages, Battaglin, Bongiorno and Pirazzi are all very good options in that sort of terrain. Ruffoni is a good young sprinter, but he’ll find it tough to win here, he may manage a podium though.
Tactics: Expect aggressive riding, it is their home race after all.
BMC Racing
Key Riders: Phillipe Gilbert, Darwin Atapuma, Damiano Caruso
Objectives: Caruso GC, reduced bunch sprints, breakaways
Outcomes: Caruso isn't really a GC quality rider at this stage of his career, his 9th in last years Vuelta Espana may have been a flash in the pan. Gilbert will like the look of a few stages, but will find it tough to win I would think,
Tactics: I'd expect them to save their energy for the selective days in the mountains where it will be a reduced sprint, where Gilbert and Caruso are both very handy.
CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Key Riders: Maciej Paterski, Grega Bole, Sylvester Szmyd
Objectives: Uphill sprints, reduced bunch sprints, breakaways
Outcomes: Bole should be up there on a few stages, and I'd expect a few podiums from him. Paterski has already won a medium mountains stage from a break this year, and will have a few opportunities here, and I think he'll win one.
Tactics: They do a lot of work for a Pro-Conti team, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them actively supporting Bole in his stages, and being active in the breaks on others.
Etixx-Quickstep
Key Riders: Rigoberto Uran, Gianni Meersman, Tom Boonen
Objectives: Uran GC, sprints
Outcomes: Uran is in good form and should do well, but his EQS team isn't geared to help him in the mountains at all. In the sprints, there are faster guys than Meersman and Boonen, but they'll have a very good leadout.
Tactics: They don't have any super domestiques and Uran will be isolated pretty quickly on unless they can get riders up the road. They've brought a good leadout, probably mostly for Meersman, and should be prominent in the sprints.
FDJ
Key Riders: Alexandre Geniez, Kenny Elissonde, Anthony Roux
Objectives: Geniez GC, puncheur/reduced bunch sprints
Outcomes: I've got low expectations for FDJ here, Roux is a useful rider who could podium a stage.
Tactics: None. Again it is an indifferent squad, whose best chance of animating the race will be in the occasional breakaway.
IAM Cycling
Key Riders: Sylvain Chavanel, Heinrich Haussler, Matteo Pelucchi, Sebastian Reichenbach
Objectives: Everything. They have brought a squad that can support the attack of a lot of targets, and will likely target a lot of goals in the hope that one or two come off.
Outcome: Reichenbach is an exciting GC prospect and could surprise here, I'd expect cusp of top 10 for him. Pelucchi will go in as one of the favourites for the sprints, after showing pretty good form this year, Haussler will be for the harder days, and Chavanel for the puncheur stages. All of them should be right up there, and could even take a win or two. The rest will save their energy for breaks in the mountains or helping Reichenbach, depending on how he is faring.
Tactics: Because they are spread across so many objectives, I wouldn't expect to see them on the front in many stages, probably going with passive support for Reichenbach in the mountains, and maybe a man or two for Pelucchi in the sprints.
Lampre-Merida
Key Riders: Diego Ulissi, Sascha Modolo, Przemyslaw Niemiec
Objectives: TV time, Sprints, Mountains stages
Outcome: Lampre have a pretty poor team, and will struggle to make much of an impact on the race, so they probably just look to get in breaks and try their luck. Sprint stages seem to be a goal, with a number of decent sprinters in the Lampre set-up, but they've never really operated too well as a lead-out. Modolo is in decent form at the moment, so could take a few podiums.
Tactics: Get in breaks in the mountains, save it for the sprints on the flat days. The tactics might well change depending on how Ulissi is going, he's been poor since his return from suspension, but if he's better here, his GC ambitions and/or stage-hunting may be better supported.
Lotto-Soudal
Key Riders: Jurgen Van Den Broeck, Andre Greipel, Adam Hansen, Louis Vervaeke
Objectives: Sprints, Van Den Broeck GC, breakaways
Outcome: They have the fastest sprinter, and a good leadout, and will be expected to do most of the work on the flat stages, so they'll have to save a lot of energy for those flat stages. The team have made noises to the effect that they will also support Van Den Broeck as much as possible, but they haven't really brought a team to do that. Adam Hansen and Louis Vervaeke will be looking for breakaway opportunities, and could well grab a stage win.
Tactics: Control things in the sprint stages from the front of the peleton, on the defensive in the big mountains, target some intermediate stages for breakaways.
Movistar
Key Riders: Benat Inxausti, Ruben Fernandez, Ion Izaguirre, JJ Lobato, Giovanni Visconti
Objectives: GC result, Mountain stages, reduced bunch sprints with Lobato.
Outcome: They've got a very good team, but are perhaps lacking that out and out star who can target the GC. They have a number of good GC options, and whilst Inxausti is their protected rider for the moment, Ion Izaguirre or even Ruben Fernandez might inherit that mantle. Lobato should go very well on selected stages, and could grab a couple of wins.
Tactics: They won't be tagged with much work, unless Lobato starts doing really well, so they can save their legs for attacking moves/supporting their GC leader, depending on how things are going. Watch for them in the mountains stages.
Lotto NL-Jumbo
Key Riders: Steven Kruiswijk, Moreno Hofland, Maarten Tjallingii
Objectives: Kruiswijk GC, Sprints, breakaways.
Outcome: Top 20 Kruiswijk, Hofland manages a few podium finishes.
Tactics: Kruiswijk will be a good candidate for a long break or two to move himself up on GC, as he's not a particularly big name, and will be given some leeway. They won't have to do work on sprint stages, so they'll probably try and surge late with Robert Wagner to get Hofland into position.
Sky
Key Riders: Richie Porte, Vasil Kiryienka, Leopold Konig, Mikel Nieve, Elia Viviani
Objectives: Porte GC, Sprints
Outcome: Porte should go well, and it is a strong line-up to support him here. Good luck Viviani, maybe Eisel will do a bit of work to help you in the finishes.
Tinkoff-Saxo
Key Riders: Alberto Contador, Roman Kreuziger, Michael Rogers, Ivan Basso
Objectives: Contador GC
Outcome: The best stage race rider of his generation and all the experience that brings, he will do very well here. Strong team with former Giro winner Basso, potential GC contender Kreuziger and double Giro '14 stage winner Rogers.
Tactics: They do have a potential dual options with Kreuziger, but that's not compatible with Contador in a team, as we've seen before with Armstrong in the Tour. All-in for 'El Pistolero'.
Nippo Fantini
Key Riders: Damiano Cunego, Danielle Colli
Objectives: Cunego GC/stage wins, TV time, sprints
Outcome: Cunego will be left to his own devices, and if goes well that could end up in a top 10 finish. Any bad days however, and he will have no team support to help him, and he'll tumble down the standings rapidly, and have to go for stage victories. Colli will battle away in the sprints, again lacks team support.
Tactics: Have to be active in the breaks to keep their sponsors happy, but especially in the mountains, so that when the break is caught they will have someone with Cunego.
Orica-Greenedge
Key Riders: Michael Matthews, Simon Gerrans, Esteban Chaves
Objectives: Team Time Trial, Stay in pink jersey til Stage 5, hilly sprint stages
Outcomes: Only team really targeting the TTT, should go well there. Have experience keeping the pink jersey early from last season, and should do a similar job here, maybe with a win for Matthews/Gerrans along the way. There are few other stages after that that suit Matthews and Gerrans quite well, but the third week will be a quiet one unless they are in the break.
Southeast
Key Riders: Manuel Beletti, Mauro Finetto, Alessandro Pettachi, Franceso Gavazzi, Yonathan Monsalve
Objectives: Sprints, puncheurs stages, breakaways/TV time
Outcome: Beletti and Pettachi should be a good duo for the sprint stages, and could grab a podium or two. Gavazzi is is good form this year, and will try and challenge the likes of Gilbert and Gerrans for wins on the puncheur stages. They also have good options to win from breaks in Monsalve and Finetto, so breakaways aren't just about TV time for them.
Tactics: They look to be one of the strongest Italian teams with Bardiani and it will be interesting to see how they approach, the race, whether they opt to throw all their support behind their leaders, or still go for the TV time moves.
Cannondale-Garmin
Key Riders: Ryder Hesjedal, Davide Formolo, TJ Slagter, Davide Villela, Janier Acevedo, Tom Danielson, Andre Cardoso
Objectives: sneaky Hesjedal/Formolo GC?, mountain breaks, puncheur stages.
Outcome: Hard to say, none are really in great form, so I'd guess that they might sneak a stage or two, and maybe have one guy who targets a top 20 on GC. Not been a good season so far, and looks to continue that way.
Giant-Alpecin
Key Riders: Luka Mezgec, Simon Geschke
Objectives: Sprints, Puncheur stages
Outcome: Will be a presence in the flat stages, but Gechke will have to do it all by himself otherwise. He may go ok on some of the hilly finishes.
Katusha
Key Riders: Luca Paolini, Yuriy Trofimov, Sergeii Cherenetskii, Alexander Porsev, Ilhnur Zakarin
Objectives: Zakarin GC, Mountain breaks, Sprints
Outcome: Zakarin coming off big Romandie form and the course appears to suit him well. He should have good support in Trofimov, Paolini and co, and could do well despite it being his first Grand Tour. Porsev might be a bit isolated in the flat sprints, and Cherenetskii and Paolini will have a go on hillier days.
Key Riders: Steven Kruiswijk, Moreno Hofland, Maarten Tjallingii
Objectives: Kruiswijk GC, Sprints, breakaways.
Outcome: Top 20 Kruiswijk, Hofland manages a few podium finishes.
Tactics: Kruiswijk will be a good candidate for a long break or two to move himself up on GC, as he's not a particularly big name, and will be given some leeway. They won't have to do work on sprint stages, so they'll probably try and surge late with Robert Wagner to get Hofland into position.
Sky
Key Riders: Richie Porte, Vasil Kiryienka, Leopold Konig, Mikel Nieve, Elia Viviani
Objectives: Porte GC, Sprints
Outcome: Porte should go well, and it is a strong line-up to support him here. Good luck Viviani, maybe Eisel will do a bit of work to help you in the finishes.
Tinkoff-Saxo
Key Riders: Alberto Contador, Roman Kreuziger, Michael Rogers, Ivan Basso
Objectives: Contador GC
Outcome: The best stage race rider of his generation and all the experience that brings, he will do very well here. Strong team with former Giro winner Basso, potential GC contender Kreuziger and double Giro '14 stage winner Rogers.
Tactics: They do have a potential dual options with Kreuziger, but that's not compatible with Contador in a team, as we've seen before with Armstrong in the Tour. All-in for 'El Pistolero'.
Nippo Fantini
Key Riders: Damiano Cunego, Danielle Colli
Objectives: Cunego GC/stage wins, TV time, sprints
Outcome: Cunego will be left to his own devices, and if goes well that could end up in a top 10 finish. Any bad days however, and he will have no team support to help him, and he'll tumble down the standings rapidly, and have to go for stage victories. Colli will battle away in the sprints, again lacks team support.
Tactics: Have to be active in the breaks to keep their sponsors happy, but especially in the mountains, so that when the break is caught they will have someone with Cunego.
Orica-Greenedge
Key Riders: Michael Matthews, Simon Gerrans, Esteban Chaves
Objectives: Team Time Trial, Stay in pink jersey til Stage 5, hilly sprint stages
Outcomes: Only team really targeting the TTT, should go well there. Have experience keeping the pink jersey early from last season, and should do a similar job here, maybe with a win for Matthews/Gerrans along the way. There are few other stages after that that suit Matthews and Gerrans quite well, but the third week will be a quiet one unless they are in the break.
Southeast
Key Riders: Manuel Beletti, Mauro Finetto, Alessandro Pettachi, Franceso Gavazzi, Yonathan Monsalve
Objectives: Sprints, puncheurs stages, breakaways/TV time
Outcome: Beletti and Pettachi should be a good duo for the sprint stages, and could grab a podium or two. Gavazzi is is good form this year, and will try and challenge the likes of Gilbert and Gerrans for wins on the puncheur stages. They also have good options to win from breaks in Monsalve and Finetto, so breakaways aren't just about TV time for them.
Tactics: They look to be one of the strongest Italian teams with Bardiani and it will be interesting to see how they approach, the race, whether they opt to throw all their support behind their leaders, or still go for the TV time moves.
Cannondale-Garmin
Key Riders: Ryder Hesjedal, Davide Formolo, TJ Slagter, Davide Villela, Janier Acevedo, Tom Danielson, Andre Cardoso
Objectives: sneaky Hesjedal/Formolo GC?, mountain breaks, puncheur stages.
Outcome: Hard to say, none are really in great form, so I'd guess that they might sneak a stage or two, and maybe have one guy who targets a top 20 on GC. Not been a good season so far, and looks to continue that way.
Giant-Alpecin
Key Riders: Luka Mezgec, Simon Geschke
Objectives: Sprints, Puncheur stages
Outcome: Will be a presence in the flat stages, but Gechke will have to do it all by himself otherwise. He may go ok on some of the hilly finishes.
Katusha
Key Riders: Luca Paolini, Yuriy Trofimov, Sergeii Cherenetskii, Alexander Porsev, Ilhnur Zakarin
Objectives: Zakarin GC, Mountain breaks, Sprints
Outcome: Zakarin coming off big Romandie form and the course appears to suit him well. He should have good support in Trofimov, Paolini and co, and could do well despite it being his first Grand Tour. Porsev might be a bit isolated in the flat sprints, and Cherenetskii and Paolini will have a go on hillier days.