A big favorite and a few outsiders. It has been a long time since a rider has been so unanimously designated as the big favorite for a Tour of Italy. But behind the essential Tadej Pogacar, other names emerge if the Slovenian were to be in difficulty. And who, otherwise, will aim for the final podium.
Pogacar dreams of the double
The Slovenian does not want to win races. He has proven over the past four years that he knows how to do that. No, he wants to make the history of his sport. And to enter the legend, what better than to remind Italian fans of the burning memory of Marco Pantani, the last rider to have won the Giro then the Tour de France in the same year. And too bad if it was in 1998, in the heart of the dirty years. Pogacar, to achieve his goal, decided to disperse less in the spring and to run less. But he did it with talent.
It’s simple, the Slovenian with the rebellious streak has competed in four races since the start of the season and won three of them. The Strade Bianche at the end of a monumental solo raid of 80 kilometers, the Tour of Catalonia (with four stages in the bag) and Liège-Bastogne-Liège on April 21. Only the Primavera Milan-San Remo escaped him with a third place. Fresh and confident, he is supposed to fly over this Giro.
Geraint Thomas for revenge
The Welshman, who will celebrate his 38th birthday the day before the final finish, remains convinced that he can afford a second Tour after his victory on the Grande Boucle in 2018. Beaten to the wire last year by Primoz Roglic for fourteen seconds, Geraint Thomas is revengeful. But he will initially try not to be too far from Pogacar. And he is counting on the two time trial stages for this.
On paper, the experienced Welshman from Ineos has the profile of the perfect second. His start to the season is quite ordinary but he prepared specifically for this Giro. He will be supported in particular by his Dutch teammate Thymen Arensman, 6th last year, and who will be a perfect substitute leader in the event of a failure.
Ben O’Connor on Decathlon form – AG2R
The Australian wants to offer his team, currently in great shape, its first podium on a Grand Tour since Romain Bardet in 2017. He has the means. His victory at the Tour of Murcia or his second final places at the UAE Tour then at the Tour of the Alps gave him confidence. Carried by the dynamics of his training, he sets off as a perfect outsider.
Cian Uijtdebroeks to justify his transfer
Another young Belgian whose name we will have to learn to pronounce. At 21, he was the revelation of the last Tour of Spain after winning the Tour de l’Avenir a year earlier. His surprise transfer from Bora-Hansgrohe to Visma-Lease a bike raised eyebrows but revealed a strong character. His Dutch team will test his abilities at the very highest level by installing him in a leadership role. But he will have to do better after an average Tirreno-Adriatico (7th) and a Tour of Catalonia concluded with an abandonment. He is said to be ambitious, it’s up to him to prove it.
Romain Bardet in the name of experience
The Auvergne region has loved the Giro for a long time. Even if he was not always kind to him like in 2022 when stomach pains sent him home during the 13th stage when he was fourth overall and seemed to improve over time. days. He knows that the end of his career is drawing near. But he will approach this Tour of Italy without his DSM – Firmenich training putting excessive pressure on him. His quest for a third podium in a Tour could be complicated by the two timed stages. But he seems liberated. His beautiful second place in joy and tears in Liège-Bastogne-Liège gave him confidence.
