Vincenzo Nibali warns Tadej Pogacar

The words of Vincenzo Nibali

As the countdown to the Giro d'Italia continues, there's great anticipation especially regarding the participation of Tadej Pogacar. The Slovenian could hit a couplet with the Tour de France in the same year that has been missing since the days of Marco Pantani.

Vincenzo Nibali to the Gazzetta dello Sport has però curbed the easy enthusiasm of his fans: "Even a phenomenon the Giro d'Italia if he has to sweat it out. Rivals? Bardet è a creative one, Thomas at’last call. In a grand tour nothing è simple".

With 10 days to go before the Giro d'Italia, which will start on May 4 from Venaria Reale, the entrants who will do battle in the 21 stages have been announced. As in 2023, it will be Rome that will celebrate the winner of the Trofeo Senza Fine. The big favorite to win the overall ranking è Tadej Pogacar. Number 1 in the UCI World Ranking, the Slovenian makes his debut in the Corsa Rosa after a triumphant start to the season that saw him score seven times over ten days of total racing.

The biggest antagonist will be Geraint Thomas, who in 2023 è was undermined from the top of the standings only on the penultimate stage. The Welshman will again have at his side Thymen Arensman, 6° in last year's edition and a major favorite for the White Jersey. Among the riders who finished in the final top 10 last year will also be at the start Damiano Caruso, (4°) and Eddie Dunbar (7°).
Returning to the Giro with ambitions are Romain Bardet, second at the Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Ben O' Connor, a stage winner and runner-up at the UAE Tour, Daniel Felipe Martinez, three wins on the season, Juan Pedro Lopez, winner of the Tour of the Alps, and the Pink Jersey of the 2014 edition Nairo Quintana.

Among the most eagerly awaited rookies, also with a view to the Maglia Bianca, are Cian Uijtdebroeks, 8° at the Vuelta a España 2023, and Antonio Tiberi, who has è highlighted himself this season at Volta a Catalunya and Tour of the Alps.