Giro d'Italia 100 team presentation - Gallery

A balmy Thursday evening in Alghero was the scene and setting for 2017 Giro d'Italia team presentation with the tifosi coming out in force and adding to a sea of pink that has swept through Sardinia this week.

The Astana team was the first of the Giro squads to be presented on stage in honour Michele Scarponi who was killed in a training ride accident last month. Fabio Aru, the team's premier GC rider, was forced out of the race due to injury but the proud Sardinian was on hand as he welcomed his teammates.

The festive atmosphere continued through the presentation with loud cheers in particular for Italian champion Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) and two-time winner Vincenzo Nibali of Bahrain-Merida.

With the presentation over, the teams and riders quickly turned their attention to tomorrow's stage 1. However, for wild card team Bardiani-CSF, the evening turned into a nightmare with confirmation that two of its riders returned adverse analytical finding for growth hormone releasing peptides. Stefano Pirazzi and Nicola Ruffoni were kicked off the team for the Giro with the race now starting under dark skies that, quickly changing from the blue and sparkling sunset of Thursday.

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