Cycling: If you don't have a top sprinter in your own team and at the same time nobody who can drive onto the podium, you have to come up with something. Also at the Giro d'Italia 2023 there are some teams that have to bake small rolls and try their luck in escape groups.
AG2R – Citroën
The French team AG2R - Citroën unsurprisingly focuses on the Tour de France. Nevertheless, a powerful force can be sent to Italy. With Aurélien Paret-Peintre they can even hope for the top ten in the overall standings. After all, the 27-year-old Frenchman was 15th in the Tour de France and already finished 3 times in the top eleven at Paris – Nice. So that with him Tour of Italy succeeds, however, he must have improved in the time trial. Otherwise you will hope for a day win at AG2R - Citroën. However, this can only be entered via an escape group. Maybe by the French Nicolas Prodhomme, Alex Baudin, Mikael Cherel or Valentin Paret Peintre. They all have their strengths in mountainous terrain. The same goes for the Italian Andrea Vendrame, who was already able to win a Giro stage in 2021. Also the American Larry warbasse could be successful in the high mountains, like in 2017 at the Tour de Suisse. We can be particularly excited about the French Paul Lapeira. The 22-year-old won Il Piccolo Lombardia two years ago, i.e. the youth tour of Lombardy. He is contesting his first Grand Tour.
Cofidis
The French team Cofidis will also be at the Giro d'Italia 2023 go on a stage hunt. With Simone Consonni they have an experienced Italian in their own ranks who could win a sprint on demanding stages even from a depleted field. In a flat sprint you could also take a compatriot next to him Davide Cimolai build. After two second places in 2021, he is still waiting for a day's success in the Tour of Italy. The other drivers in the squad, around the Spaniard Jonathan Lastra and the French Francois Bidard, Thomas Champion, Alexandre Delettre, Remy Rochas and Hugo Toumire, will have to try their luck in escape groups. Your strengths are on slightly hilly, even mountainous terrain. However, things need to come together if they want to win a Giro stage in the coming stages. After all, they're all still waiting for their first WorldTour-level success. Here, too, it is clear: the focus of Cofidis is on the domestic Tour de France.
EF Education—EasyPost
It took a long time for Team EF Education – EasyPost to announce their squad for this year's Giro d'Italia. Now we see that the nomination is really something to be proud of. Thanks to Rigoberto Urán from Colombia and Hugh Carthy from Great Britain, the US team can come up with a double lead. Uran has already finished second twice in the Giro and once in the Tour de France. Carthy has already been on the podium at the Vuelta a Espana. If they can also reach their top level in the next three weeks, the top five is definitely possible. Quite a few experts trust Ben Healy a surprise too. The 22-year-old Irishman has probably had the greatest development of any professional in recent months. From no-name talent to absolute contender. However, hilly sections are much more important to him than the high mountains. The Dane is always good for stage wins Magnus Court and the Italian Alberto Bettiol. Both like flat stages, but have the best cards on slightly hilly routes when the pure sprinters have already been left behind. The squad is completed by the South African Stefan DeBod and the two Ecuadorians jonathan caicedo and Jefferson Cepeda.
Groupama - FDJ
At the age of 32 years will Thibaut Pinot contest his 17th Grand Tour with this year's Giro d'Italia. It's almost tragic that the Frenchman couldn't win a single one. And even this season – probably his last – it won't be enough for the big success. He has simply shown too little for that in the recent past. However, we must not underestimate him. If he can regain his old strength, the top five is definitely a realistic goal. At the Tour de Romandie he was just as convincing this year as at Tirreno – Adriatico and some one-day races in France. But in the time trials he will be inferior to his opponents in most cases. That's why Groupama - FDJ needs Plan B. And they have several of them. Because if Pinot can't make it to the overall ranking, he still has the hunt for stage wins and mountain points. Also looking for a day win Stefan Kung. The Swiss is one of the favorites in the first two time trials. In the sprints could Jake Stewart win his first day on his second Grand Tour. The Briton is only 23 years young, but is considered a top talent. Dutchman Lars van den Berg the Lithuanian Ignatas Konovalovas, the Swiss Fabian Lienhard, as well as the French rudy molard and Bruno Armirail will support their three captains and will always be given the freedom to jump into the group.
Israel - Premier Tech
Although the Israel – Premier Tech team was relegated from the WorldTour after last season, they are taking part in the Giro d'Italia. And a prominent man was brought in especially for this: Domenico Pozzovivo! The now 40-year-old Italian will contest his 24th Grand Tour and his 17th Giro d'Italia. He made it into the top ten 7 times. Despite the many time trial kilometers, he should land there again this time. But he can't expect much support from his teammates. The American Matthew Riccitello, the Australian Sebastian Berwick and the Italian Marco Frigo all see their strengths in the mountains, but at the age of 21 or 23 they are still relatively inexperienced and simply not yet at home at this level. The Canadian Derek Gee is riding his first Grand Tour and will be hoping for a top place in the time trial. For the stage hunt on hilly terrain and in the mountains, the Brit stephen williams, the Dane Mads Würtz-Schmidt and the Australian simon clarke nominated. All three have the advantage that they are also quite fast and can therefore always be taken seriously from a breakaway group.
