The Giro d’Italia starts on Saturday with the big favourite to win, Tade Pogačar

The 107th edition of the famous Grand Tours Giro d’Italia will start on Saturday. The race hasn’t even started yet and there is already loud speculation that this year it will be mainly a battle for second place.

Tadej Pogačar is in great form

Tadej Pogačar has already declared before the season that this year he will try to become the first cyclist since Marco Pantani to win the Giro – Tour double. The tragically deceased great Italian climber did it in 1998. Alberto Contador, for example, also tried to do it in the days of his greatest success.

However, these two stage races are only two months apart and the dates of May and July are absolutely lethal. They have always taken their toll, which is why no one has managed it for more than a quarter of a century. But there are only a handful of cyclists in today’s peloton who can match Pogachar.

In the hills, Primož Roglič, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel can do it. However, none of these top climbers will be at the start of this year’s Giro. This makes the Slovenian’s path to his maiden Grand Tour triumph easier.

An impressive record at Grand Tours

Pogačar finished third overall at the Spanish Vuelta in his debut Grand Tour in 2019. He competed in the 2020-23 Tour de France and never finished worse than second overall. In 2020 and 2021, meanwhile, he was the overall winner.

This year, therefore, marks the first time that he will take part in the remaining race of the three toughest stage races in the world. Overall, he has participated in 5 Grand Tours with a 2-2-1 record, always finishing on the podium in the overall classification. And at this year’s Giro, he is clearly the number 1 favourite.

He has also changed his race program for this purpose, as he no longer rides a lot of races before the Tour de France as he did in the last two years, when he failed twice in the crushing climbs and Jonas Vingegaard always took advantage of the young Slovenian’s hesitation.

He has only 10 days of racing under his belt before losing the Giro d’Italia. However, he already has 7 wins this season. He has participated in a total of 4 races and has only failed to win one. He clearly dominated the WorldTour Tour of Catalonia stage race, where he reigned supreme in 4 stages, dominated the Strade Bianche classic and also won the Monument Lutych – Bastogne – Lutych. Only on the next monument, Milan – San Remo, did he take 3rd position.

The Slovenian is the number one favourite

So there is no doubt about the favourite of the race. Even the rivals themselves concede that they are racing for second position. A total of 21 stables and 175 competitors will take part in the race. Colombia’s Nairo Quintana, the 2014 winner, will be at the start of the race with Movistar.

Gerraint Thomas of Ineos could be among the candidates for victory. Quick-Step’s Julian Alaphilippe and dsm-Firmenich’s Romain Bardet could also surprise. However, these riders are not that heavy caliber and have their best years behind them. The aforementioned trio of Pogacar’s rivals will focus on the Tour de France.

Ironically, the young Slovenian’s biggest rival may be himself. He is known for wanting to win always and everywhere. He hasn’t just been piling up wins in the hills for a long time. Only an unfortunate coincidence or his own mistake can practically deprive him of victory. In any case, Pogačar can wear the Maglio Rosa – the pink jersey for the race leader – in the second hilly stage of this race.

Source: Cycling news, Giro d’Italia