Palermo (Italy) (AFP)
The Giro begins on Saturday in Sicily with a spectacular time trial for a first pink jersey coveted by the big riders of the peloton, the Italian Filippo Ganna in the lead.
Favorite Ganna for Pink:
From Monreale, the city of the cathedral built at the time of the Norman occupation, to the center of Palermo, the ancient city of Sicily, the 15.1 kilometer route promises a very high average.
Close, perhaps, to the speed record in the Giro which dates from 2001 (58.874 km / h by the Belgian Rik Verbrugghe, over 7.1 km in Pescara).
An initial climb of about 1 kilometer, with an average slope of 7% with a very steep passage at 18%, to reach the cathedral, precedes a descent of 3 kilometers with two sharp bends before crossing Palermo, the most often straight and flat, therefore ultra-fast.
Even more than the hour record holder, the Belgian Victor Campenaerts, it is Ganna, crowned world champion in the time trial last week, who is the favorite.
To prepare for the start on the hill, the Italian giant (1.93 m) went to climb the climb of Oropa at the start of the week, near his home.
"It's my first Giro, I have to stay calm," announces the Piedmontese who will show off his rainbow jersey with the hope of donning the pink jersey.
His Ineos team opted for an early departure, just like his Welsh leader Geraint Thomas, in order to benefit from optimal weather conditions.
The "old people" to the rescue:
Time is running out for the "30s", Geraint Thomas, the Dane Jakob Fuglsang, the Dutch Steven Kruijswjk, if they want to put their name on the list of the Giro which is in its 103rd edition.
Even more for the oldest, the Italian Vincenzo Nibali (36 years old in November), the most successful of the 176 riders in the peloton, who is applying for a third victory in "his" race.
First favorite at the start, Thomas was only beaten in Tirreno-Adriatico by the Briton Simon Yates, also a serious candidate for the pink jersey.
Proof that the Welshman (34) overcame his ouster from the Tour de France, due to insufficient results.
To his advantage, he has 64.9 kilometers of time trial to make the difference.
"I am at an age where I must seek to take advantage of all the opportunities that present themselves," announced the winner of the Tour de France 2018. He rejected any additional pressure when presenting the teams in the unique setting of the ancient temple de Segeste: "It makes me happy to be considered the favorite, but in three weeks a lot can happen, between the weather, the mountains and all the rest."
The Giro's youth card:
The example of Tadej Pogacar, unexpected winner of the Tour, can it be transposed to the Giro?
A year after the surprise success of Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, the hypothesis is far from being excluded.
Especially since a beginner, the Russian Aleksandr Vlasov (24), third in the Tour of Lombardy, has the right profile in this season deeply troubled by the coronavirus.
In the shadow of Fuglsang, the leader of the Astana team, Vlasov is able to take advantage of the racing movements, usual on the Giro traditionally less locked than the Tour.
Then you have to hold on tight in the high mountains which will be tackled in the third week, with passages over 2700 meters (Stelvio, Agnello), if the weather permits it at this late time of the year.
For the young generation, also embodied by the Portuguese Joao Almeida (22), also a neophyte of the grand tours, the opportunity is great to stand out.
The Giro offers a superb showcase that the Slovakian Peter Sagan, however raised in an Italian team, discovers only at the age of 30 years.
"I'm here to win stages and aim for the cyclamen jersey (of the points classification)", announces the former three-time world champion, for the first time dominated in the Tour de France in the fight for the points classification.
For him, the Giro sounds like revenge.
© 2020 AFP