Cycling: The 100th edition of the Tour of Italy begins on Friday. We take an in-depth look at the 2017 Giro d'Italia favorites, with Nairo Quintana (Movistar) at the top of our list. The Colombian is followed by a dozen podium contenders. Who has the best chance?
Nairo Quintana (Movistar)
Nairo Quintana is the clear favorite for overall victory. The Colombian won the Giro d'Italia in 2014 and the Vuelta a Espana in 2016. Only at the Tour de France is he still waiting for the big hit after three podium finishes. It is all the more surprising that he is also starting at the Tour of Italy this season. Quintana is considered the best climber of our time. So it will be difficult to take time from him in the mountains. If you want to beat him, you have to hold your rear wheel on the mountains and beat him in the time trial. As usual, Quintana will be able to rely on a strong Movistar team. In addition to his victory at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, he also won this year Tirreno-Adriatico. How good the Colombian will actually be in form at the Giro is uncertain due to his few races beforehand. However, he has already proven several times that he has the perfect form structure.
Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida)
Vincenzo Nibali has already done what Nairo Quintana have to wait for. In addition to the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana, the Italian has already won the Tour de France. At the Giro d'Italia 2016 he managed a furious race to catch up. He was far behind in the overall standings, but was able to overtake all his competitors with an excellent final week. The experience and serenity also speaks for Vincenzo Nibali this season. However, it is questionable whether the Italian is still as strong as he used to be. In 2017 he won the rather weak Tour of Croatia. Otherwise, he always drew the short straw in a duel against well-known competitors. He too will be inferior to some classification drivers in the fight against the clock. There is also a question mark over his newly formed Bahrain-Merida team. Either way, Nibali is a hot contender for the podium.
Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo)
Steven Kruijswijk is the newcomer of the 2016 season. The Dutchman didn't celebrate any great successes, but his performances made people sit up and take notice. Without his fall on the 19st stage he would have won his first Grand Tour at last year's Tour of Italy. After this setback, he recovered only slowly. He was also unlucky at the Vuelta a Espana, because on the 5st stage he fell and had to give up. All cycling fans wish him a little better luck this season. But in Quintana he has a much stronger opponent to overcome. His team is also significantly weaker than the Movistar team. In good form, however, Steven Kruijswijk is again capable of a strong Giro d'Italia. However, it is rather doubtful whether he has it. After all, he can't show any top results this season. Only at the Volta a Catalunya did he celebrate a small success with seventh place.
Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb)
The currently best time trialist in the peloton next to Tony Martin is Tom Dumoulin. But the Dutchman can do much more than just shine in the fight against the clock. He has often indicated his potential in the mountains, but for more than three weeks in the high mountains he was never able to keep up with the best climbers. Quite possible that Dumoulin has adjusted his training. He seems motivated to develop from a top time trialist to a top climber like Miguel Indurain. However, he does not want to lose his time trial skills. Last year he won the 9st stage and the 13st stage the Tour de France. He has yet to celebrate a win this season. At Tirreno-Adriatico he was sixth. Since there are quite a few time trial kilometers to be completed at the Giro d'Italia 2017, many experts think he has a good chance. In fact, he can only drive up front if he has really improved a lot in the mountains.
Mikel Landa (Sky)
In 2015 Mikel Landa's star rose. He won the Stage 16 of the 2015 Giro and the 11th stage of the Vuelta 2015. Both sections were considered the queen stage of the respective tour. After his excellent performances for Team Astana, Team Sky signed him. In the following year he was supposed to take part in the Tour of Italy as captain for overall victory. On the 10th stage of the Giro 2016 however, he got out. Otherwise it didn't live up to expectations. The Spaniard left a good impression this season at the Ruta Del Sol and the Tour of the Alps. If he was in top form there, the competitors must definitely have him on the list. In any case, his team will be strong enough. He even has to share the role of captain with Geraint Thomas. After all, Sky does without sprinter Elia Viviani and relies fully on the overall ranking.
Geraint Thomas (Sky)
The second hot iron in the Sky fire is called Geraint Thomas. The Brit is a true all-round wonder. He's a favorite at some cobbled one-day classics, as well as week-long and three-week tours. Even in the fight against the clock, he can often place very far ahead. His problem: He is not the best in any area. He wants to change that this year. He gave up the one-day classics and focused on the mountains in training. This has already paid off at the Tour of the Alps, which he was able to finish as a winner. Previously he had won in his career at Paris-Nice 2016. Passing a three-week tour of the country is a completely different matter. Team Sky is also not sure whether Thomas is already ready. That's why the team bosses are counting on two potential podium candidates, Landa and Thomas.
Bauke Mollema (Trek Segafredo)
In addition to Steven Kruijswijk and Tom Dumoulin, the Dutch also bring a third strong round rider to the start. Bauke Mollema is part of everyone in the last year season recap been. He fell in the Tour de France up Mont Ventoux just like Chris Froome. In the end he was eleventh in the Great Loop, but his performances were significantly better than this place. Right after that he won Classica San Sebastián. In 2017 he presented himself in good shape at the Vuelta a la Provincia de San Juan, the Abu Dhabi Tour, Tirreno-Adriatico and the Volta a Catalunya. However, he will probably not be able to win the Giro d'Italia this season. To date, his time trial results have been too bad. Mollema will need impressive form in the mountains and a tactical plan to reach the podium.
Thibaut Pinot (FDJ)
The French aren't just concentrating on their Tour de France either. Thibaut Pinot is sent to the Giro d'Italia. The captain of Team FDJ has never started there. On the other hand, he finished in the top 10 twice in the Tour de France and once in the Vuelta a Espana. The qualities of the now 26-year-old are undisputed. Especially in the mountains, Pinot has to be at the front because the Frenchman has his weaknesses in time trials. Even if he has improved there – just like in the downhills – in the past two years. He will be supported by the two Swiss riders Steve Morabito and Sébastien Reichenbach. However, he cannot rely on a good team in the high mountains. He will have to survive as a lone fighter. He was able to draw attention to himself with good results in 2017. He finished third at the Ruta del Sol and Tirreno-Adriatico and second at the Tour of the Alps.
Adam Yates (Orica Scott)
Adam & Simon Yates are among the most talented drivers of their age. However, only Adam will compete in the Giro d'Italia as Simon is scheduled to compete in the Tour de France. Adam Yates should be known to many cycling fans because he is on the 7st stage of last year's Tour de France fell through the air arc one kilometer from the finish. But he was also able to draw attention to himself with his sporting achievements. He won the Classica San Sebastián 2015 and finished fourth overall at the said Tour de France. In 2017 he finished fourth in the Volta a Catalunya and eighth in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Adam Yates will definitely be on the bill. Possible for stage wins anyway. If he can match his form from the 2016 season, he is a contender for the podium.
Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin)
Ilnur Zakarin has had no luck at the Giro d'Italia so far. He did show off his skills in both of his participations, but he wasn't able to finish right at the front over the three weeks. His best result in a Grand Tour was 25th in the Tour de France last year. In his career so far, he was able to do significantly better in the one-week tours. The Russian has already won the Tour de Romandie and finished in the top 5 at Paris-Nice and the Tour de Pologne. It therefore gives the impression that Zakarin sees himself more as a stage hunter and as a specialist for short tours. Let's try the Giro d'Italia again this year with the general classification. Finishing second at the Abu Dhabi Tour, sixth at Paris-Nice and 15th at the Tour de Romandie at least indicated decent form.
Tejay Van Garderen (BMC)
Many years ago, Tejay Van Garderen was hailed as a huge talent. At the side of Cadel Evans, he was believed to be capable of the really big hit at the Tour de France. To this day, he has never really been able to live up to his expectations, although he twice finished fifth in the Great Loop. He will now be at the start of the Giro d'Italia for the first time. That's not surprising, because the American won't want to focus his season on the Tour de France just as Richie Porte's assistant. It could be that we are seeing the strongest Van Garderen in years as his last few weeks have made us sit up and take notice. At the Volta a Catalunya he was fifth, at the Tour of Romandie sixth Since his stage win on the 6th stage of the Tour de Suisse 2016 his shape curve is generally pointing upwards again. He should definitely be able to finish in the top 5 here.
Domenico Pozzovivo (Ag2r)
It came as a surprise that Team Ag2r extended Domenico Pozzovivo's contract again. After all, the little Italian is now 34 years old. Last year he failed to live up to his expectations. After finishing in the Giro top 2008 four times between 2014 and 10, he only finished 20th last year. This year, however, there has been an upward trend, with some races showing him in good shape. He was tenth at Tirreno-Adriatico and third at the Tour of the Alps. It is highly likely that Pozzovivo will be up front in the mountains. The time trial kilometers will make a place on the podium almost impossible, but one can hope for a top 10 placement.
Bob Jungels (Quick Step Floors)
After Andy and Frank Schleck, the small country of Luxembourg has another classification driver. After his sixth place at the Giro d'Italia 2016 at the latest, hopes are high that the now 24-year-old could climb the podium in a Grand Tour. He is definitely capable of a good placement, also because he was in good shape with eighth place in the Tour de Romandie. However, Bob Jungels has not yet matured into a winning driver. Outside his home country he has only won four races, the most notable of which was the Etoile de Bessèges in 2015. So it's about time for the next step. Will he be able to do this directly at the Giro d'Italia 2017? At least a top 5 place in the overall classification and maybe a stage win would be a further development in his career. In addition to his qualities in the mountains, Bob Jungels can also build on his skills in time trials.
