Who are the favorite and potential opponents of Remco Evenepoel?
The 104th edition of Tour Italy, which starts on Saturday in Turin, promises to be very open. Who will be able to succeed the Briton Tao Jiujijan HartAnd the Last year winner (In October) absent at first? Let’s list the pink shirt favorites, and thus the potential opponents of Rymco EvenbuellProvided that he astonishes us and can fight with the best.
Egan Bernal (COL, INEOS Grenadiers) ★★★
Given the collective strength of INEOS Grenadiers, it is not surprising that the main favorite has been found in this squad. Egan Bernal He will be well surrounded by his side: Pavel SivakovAnd the Daniel Felipe MartinezAnd the Gianni MosconeAnd the Jonathan NarvaezAnd the Jonathan CastrovigoAnd the Filippo Jana And the Salvatore Puccio.
This team has everything to succeed. Rollers for easy control, climbers to adjust speed in passes, a Colombian touch embodied by Martinez along with Bernal, Italians who know the terrain and even a reserve captain with Sivakov!
Where’s Egan Bernal since his failure in the last Tour de France? Are back problems behind him? The start of the season was somewhat reassuring with two podiums in March in Italian races: second in Trofeo Laigueglia and third at Strade Bianche where he was able to make his mark. In view of the 11th stage of this gyro. Terino also left with fourth overall.
Bernal wants Regain his legs and his self-confidence On this Giro. But he admits that the Colombian is not up to his victory in the Tour de France 2019. In addition, his back still hurts some days. Which is why, on paper, it’s not much better than my other favorites.
Simon Yates (GBR, Team BikeExchange) ★★
Like Bernal, Simon Yates Knows he scored a Grand Tour victory in his legs. In 2018, his best season, Won the Vuelta Prize. Orphaned twin Adam, who left for Ineos the Grenadiers, Simon is now single-handedly leading his Australian team.
Simon Yates has known the Italy tour since he started the last three editions. Last year, he was forced to quit the race after testing positive for the Coronavirus.
The Briton has so far competed in three races: 10th overall in Terrain, ninth place in the Tour de Catalunya, and winning the final classification of the Alpine Race. So we can say that he arrived at this gyro with confidence and legs.
Vincenzo NIBALI (ITA, Trek-Segafredo) ★
Here is another runner who has already won a major tour. Best, Vincenzo Nepalese He won all three major rounds. At the start of the year, the Italian had referred to the Giro-Tour de France as the highlight of his season. But since then, this road map has stalled Broken wristThree weeks ago.
Rider Trek-Segafredo raced against time to make sure he was up to the start. And this Monday, his training finally formalized his post.
This wrist injury may cost him dearly. Vincenzo Nepal will not arrive under optimum conditions, who, at the age of 36, has recently shown signs of decline and weakness in the big rounds.
Mikel LANDA (ESP, Bahrain-Victorious) ★
Mikel Landa She did not hide her ambitions. The gyro is his main goal this season. The 31-year-old Bahraini victorious Spanish player already has three stages of Giro in his bag (2016, 2017, 2019). He finished the 2015 edition in third place overall and 2019 in fourth place.
To prepare, he competed in Terrain (ranked third overall) and the Tour du Pays Basque (ranked 8th overall) before going on altitude training. According to him, it is in “Excellent Condition”.
Emmanuel Boeckmann (ALL, BORA-hansgrohe) ★
Emmanuel Buchmann He will be his training leader BORA-hansgrohe who also hopes to have stages with him Peter Sagan. Since his impressive Tour de France 2019 debut, finishing fourth, the German has struggled to confirm. Last year, he was more than a comeback to Grande Boucle with his 38th overall.
In his two-stage races at the start of the season (UAE and Basque Country Tour) he was present but without particularly shining.
He just extended his contract with the team until 2024.
★ others
The other riders should be referred to, but instead under the designation of strangers. Second last year, Jay Hindley (Australia, DSM) Not showing much at the start of the season yet, and it didn’t make it to the end of the Catalonia Tour or the Alpine Tour. So the DSM could fall back on the French Roman Bardet.
Team Jumbo-Visma travel to Italy with the New Zealander George Bennett As a leader. An opportunity for someone who is mostly accustomed to working with their leaders. Astana-Premier Tech trusts Alexander Vlasov (Ross). The Russian was unlucky last year at Giro because he gave up on Stage Two due to stomach pains.
Hugh Karthy (GBR, EF Education-Nippo) Also cited among strangers, he was third on Tour Spain last year and 11 on Giro in 2019.
What if Rymco aspires to achieve a phased victory in the qualifiers?
If Remco Evenepoel cannot defend its fortunes in the overall ranking, there is no doubt that it will attempt a phased victory. And on paper, he has the best chance to shine on the clock. There will be two: 8.6 km opening in phase one and 30.3 km closure for phase 21 and final.
In practice time trial, the young Belgian knight will have a strong opponent in the character of the world champion. Filippo Jana (ETA, INEOS Grenadiers). Other reels are also very good at first. In his team: Remy Kavagna (FRA, Deceuninck-Quick Step) et al Joao Almeida (POR, Deceuninck-Quick Step). More too Victor Campinarts (Bill, ASSOS Follow-up Team), Alberto Petiol (ITA, EF Education-Nippo) or Impression Nelson Oliveira (POR, Movistar).
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