Friends Mark Cavendish and Paul Smith have a chat(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Wiggins follows team-mate and domestique Kanstantsin Siutsou, a familiar order through the upcoming race?(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Media duties done for now, defending maglia rosa Ryder Hesjedal makes his way to the presentation area(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Team Sky’s Bradley Wiggins rolls out into the piazza to be presented(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The Astana squad roll on Aero Corima Aero+ MCC wheels(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The full build of Nibali’s bike(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Specialized went to town on Vincenzo Nibali’s Tarmac SL4, giving his frame a one-off paint job. Nibali gets a shark motif a reference to his nickname(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The Vini Fantini-Selle Italia squad rocked the flouro look - their saddles were certainly eye-catching(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) stands tall before being presented to the fans(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Wearing the bands of former Australian national champion Jack Bobridge, will be riding his second Giro last year he pulled out on the penultimate day to safeguard his Olympic ambitions(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Movistar’s Alex Dowsett’s looking relaxed on the eve of his first grand tour(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Samuel Sanchez, Euskaltel Euskadi’s leader was running Osymetric chain rings(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Paul Smith was along for the ride to see his jersey designs be unveiled Hesjedal was the first to wear one onto the podium as this year’s defending champion(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Franco Pellizotti, the Italian national champion stops for a word after being introduced to the crowds(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Astana’s Vincenzo Nibali is the home nation’s favourite for the win this year and was a man in demand with the press(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
While they waited to be called on stage Euskaltel Euskadi parked up and took shelter from the heat(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
FDJ’s Nacer Bouhanni is French national champion tomorrow is could be a contender in the sprint stage finish tomorrow(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
Fi’zi:k recently announced it was releasing its top range saddles such as the Arione R3 and Antares in colours of the nine pro teams the company are sponsoring this here’s the Androni-Giocattoli edition year(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The wheels on Stefano Garzelli, Vini Fantini-Selle Italia’s leader at the Giro are Ursus 12k carbon Miura T45 tubulars ready for the fast flat stage 1 starting and finishing in Naples tomorrow(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The Giro d’Italia’s mascot, Girbecco - a mountain goat - was out to whip up the crowds with his antics before the riders appeared on the stage in Naples(Image credit: Sam Dansie)
The Astana team with Vincenzo Nibali is presented in Naples(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Sir Paul Smith wanted a photo with Mark Cavendish(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Astana's bikes are ready to carry the team into the Giro d'Italia(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Argos Shimano team(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
RadioShack-Leopard(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Matthew Goss is ready to fight for the few sprint stages on offer in the Giro d'Italia(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Taylor Phinney (BMC)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Androni Giocattoli team(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Danilo Di Luca was a late addition to the Vini Fantini team(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Alessia Ventura presents the 2013 Giro d'Italia(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Movistar team heads onto the stage(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Marco Marcato carried in the Dutch flag for Vacansoleil(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Taylor Phinney (BMC)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Sacha Modolo brings the flag in for Bardiani(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Ryder Hesjedal introduced by Alessia Ventura and Michele Acquarone(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The jerseys of the 2013 Giro d'Italia teams (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Orica-GreenEdge team holds the Aussie flag high(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quickstep)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Blanco team rolls up(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Italian champion Franco Pellizotti happy to be back on the Giro d'Italia(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Cadel Evans (BMC) waves to the crowd(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Vini Fantini heads to the stage(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
The rosa carpet(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
The stunning Piazza del Plebiscito in the heart of Naples played host to today's Giro d'Italia team presentations, one day prior to the 130km opening stage in southern Italy.
Under brilliant blue skies, each of the 23 squads contesting the first Grand Tour of the year rode onto the stage flying the flag of their team's host country, with Italian wild card invite Vini Fantini-Selle Italia the first in line.
The introductions of the Giro's stars and domestiques continued for 90 minutes, concluding with the arrival of Garmin-Sharp and defending Giro champion Ryder Hesjedal, resplendent in the maglia rosa. The 32-year-old Garmin-Sharp rider made history last year as the first Canadian to win a Grand Tour and this year he's looking to become the first rider since Miguel Indurain (1992-1993) to win back to back Giros.
Click here to view all the pageantry from the Giro d'Italia team presentations.
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