Giro d'Italia 2025 - The comprehensive team-by-team guide

The first Grand Tour of 2025 gets underway on Friday May 9 when the Giro d'Italia starts with a three-stages in Albania before the other 18 stages in Italy.

A three-week battle between Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) is set to headline the 108th running of the Italian Grand Tour, with the two powerhouse squads set to lead the battle for the pink jersey.

However this year's Corsa Rosa is wide open, with Canada's Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech), Mikel Landa (Soudal-QuickStep), Simon Yates (Visma-Lease A Bike), Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), and Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) also set to challenge for the podium as the peloton races from Durrës to Rome.

Other big names to watch for including Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease A Bike), and Tom Pidcock (Q36.5) will also be heading to Italy for the race, as will wildcard teams including Pidcock's, Israel-Premier Tech, and Tudor.

There are a number of talented sprinters, attackers and climbers in the entry list, who will also target stage victories, making for exciting and difficult to control racing. 

Read on for our complete guide on all 23 teams taking on the 2025 Giro d'Italia.

Alpecin-Deceuninck

• Team leader: Kaden Groves
• Objectives: Stage wins, points classification
• Rider to watch: Quinten Hermans

Alpecin-Deceuninck head to the Giro, as they always do, searching for stage victories rather than GC success.

Australian sprinter Kaden Groves leads the charge for the Belgian team, aiming to add to his win in Salerno two years ago. And with two Vuelta a España points jerseys to his name, he'll surely be taking aim at the points classification here, too.

Puncheur Quinten Hermans is the team's other stand-out name. The Belgian heads to Italy seeking his first Grand Tour stage win having come close last season with a third place in Fano.

Elsewhere, the likes of Edward Planckaert, Jimmy Janssens, and Timo Kielich will be free to battle in the breakaways when they're not working in Groves' lead-out. (DO)

Arkéa-B&B Hotels

• Team leader: Alessandro Verre
• Objectives: Stage wins
• Rider to watch: -

The Giro d'Italia is far from a priority for Arkéa-B&B Hotels as they fight for survival, and that shows in their lineup for this year's race. 

Last May, the team lined up with David Dekker and Jenthe Biermans leading a weak selection, and this time around, the squad boasts even fewer recognisable names.

None of the team's biggest riders – Arnaud Démare, Florian Sénéchal, Luca Mozzato, Kévin Vauquelin, Cristián Rodríguez – are present here, and even their second-tier riders are absent.

Instead, the eight-man team is filled with domestiques and young riders, with Alessandro Verre leading the way. The Italian featured in several breakaways last May and will be joined by Simon Guglielmi, Laurens Huys, and Michel Ries in more battles for the break this year. (DO)

Bahrain Victorious

•  Team leaders: Antonio Tiberi
•  Objectives: GC podium
•  Riders to watch: Pello Bilbao, Damiano Caruso 

After his fifth-place finish at last year's race, Antonio Tiberi will lead Bahrain Victorious at the Giro d'Italia, as one of the main favourites for the podium, as well as the maglia bianca for the youth classification, which he won in 2024. 

With only 14 race days under his belt so far in 2025, the 23-year-old Italian rider has not raced much this season, but he impressed by finishing third overall at Tirreno-Adriatico in March. 

His pre-race preparations at the Tour of the Alps were interrupted by a gastrointestinal illness, which forced him to abandon the race in order to recover in time for the start of the Giro. He has been training in Tuscany with teammate Damiano Caruso and coach Michele Bartoli.

Supporting him will be the experienced figures of Pello Bilbao and Caruso, who have both won stages of the Giro d'Italia in the past, with the latter also finishing runner-up in the general classification in 2021.

Caruso has had a more understated season so far, but came alive after Tiberi's abandonment at the Tour of the Alps to finish sixth overall. He will share his valuable Giro experience with Tiberi.

Forming the rest of their squad is another experienced figure in Andrea Pasqualon, along with a younger contingent of Edoardo Zambanini, Afonso Eulálio, Fran Miholjević and Matevž Govekar. (JL)

Cofidis

• Team leader: Milan Fretin
• Objectives: Stage wins
• Rider to watch: Stefano Oldani

Sprinter Milan Fretin heads up a Cofidis squad seeking stage victories and so UCI ranking points at the Giro d'Italia. 

The 24-year-old Belgian has already taken three wins in this, his second year as a pro, including a stage of the Volta ao Algarve. He'll be full of confidence heading into his debut Grand Tour.

Italian rider Stefano Oldani has previously tasted Giro success in his career. He triumphed from a 22-rider move on a hilly stage in Genoa three years ago in what is the single victory of his career so far.

Oldani, along with Sylvain Moniquet, Jonathan Lastra, and Anthony Perez, will be among the Cofidis riders aiming to seek opportunities where they can, infiltrate breakaways, and try to add another to the team's tally of six wins so far in 2025. (DO)

Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale

• Team leader: Sam Bennett
• Objectives: Stage wins
• Riders to watch: Geoffrey Bouchard, Andrea Vendrame

Sam Bennett heads up Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale's hopes this Giro, with the Irish sprinter hoping to take his first Grand Tour stage win in three seasons this month. 

He's racked up four wins so far in 2025 across the Tour de la Provence and Région Pays de la Loire Tour, but competition will be tougher at the Giro.

Dries De Bondt, a stage winner in Treviso three years ago, and 2021 mountain classification champion Geoffrey Bouchard both have Giro success on their palmarès. Two-time Giro stage winner is the only Italian on the squad – he won the stage 19 mountain finish in Sappada last year.

2023 Brabantse Pijl winner Dorian Godon will be another name to watch, as will Johannes Staune-Mittet, who finished 12th at the recent Tour de Romandie. (DO)

EF Education-EasyPost

• Team leader: Richard Carapaz
• Objectives: GC podium
• Rider to watch: Michael Valgren

It's all-in for Richard Carapaz at EF Education-EasyPost. 

The US squad will be supporting the 2019 Giro winner this month as he takes aim at a podium finish or another challenge for pink this time around.

The Ecuadorian hasn't raced the Giro since 2022, when he finished second to Jai Hindley. He hasn't been in flying form in 2025, with 10th at the Volta a Catalunya his most recent result, but he can never be counted out in the three-week GC battle.

The likes of Hugh Carthy, Jefferson Cepeda, and James Shaw will provide support for Carapaz in the mountains. 

Elsewhere, Michael Valgren and Georg Steinhauser should be freed up to go stage hunting. (DO)

Groupama-FDJ

• Team leader: David Gaudu
• Objectives: GC top five, stage wins
• Riders to watch: Quentin Pacher, Enzo Paleni

Making his debut appearance at the Giro d'Italia, David Gaudu will be the sole leader for Groupama-FDJ in the general classification, having finished in the top ten overall at both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España on two occasions.

The Frenchman has had a somewhat up-and-down season so far, as after beginning the year with a stage win and third overall at the Tour of Oman, he crashed during training and had to skip the Classic Var and the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes due to a muscle injury. 

He then suffered consecutive crashes within a matter of days on his comeback at Strade Bianche and Tirreno-Adriatico, which forced him to abandon both races before undergoing surgery on his hand for a fractured metacarpal.

Having recovered from his injuries, he was fairly anonymous at the recent Tour de Romandie in his final race before the Giro. He will be hoping to gradually improve as the race goes on.

Should Gaudu falter, Groupama-FDJ do have options to go for stage wins, as Quentin Pacher and Enzo Paleni both came close in the Grand Tours last season. 

The rest of their squad will be formed of Sven Erik Bystrøm, Clément Davy, Kevin Geniets, Lorenzo Germani and Rémy Rochas in a fairly balanced lineup for the French outfit. (JL)

Ineos Grenadiers

• Team leaders: Thymen Arensman, Egan Bernal
• Objectives: GC podium
• Rider to watch: Josh Tarling

Egan Bernal and Thymen Arensman head up a two-pronged GC attack for Ineos Grenadiers at the Giro. 

The Colombian showed promise with a seventh-place finish at the Volta a Catalunya in March, but in three Grand Tours since his horrific training crash he hasn't yet shown he can compete for the very top placings. The Giro will reveal if Bernal can ever return to his best.

If Bernal falters, Arensman could take on the sole leadership role this month. Last year, he finished sixth while supporting Geraint Thomas to fourth place, while he's been in strong form this spring with podiums at Paris-Nice and the Tour of the Alps. A GC podium could be the aim in Italy.

The remainder of the Ineos selection – Brandon Rivera, Kim Heiduk, Ben Turner, and Jonathan Castroviejo – is set up to support the GC push. 

Watch out for Josh Tarling in the two time trials. (DO)

Intermarché-Wanty

• Team leader: Louis Meintjes
• Objectives: Stage wins
• Riders to watch: Taco van der Hoorn, Dion Smith 

Intermarché-Wanty bring a stage-hunting squad to the Giro d'Italia, with former Vuelta a España stage winner Louis Meintjes leading the line for the Belgian team at the Corsa Rosa. 

Though the South African rider has not had any standout results so far this season, he always seems to come alive in the Grand Tours and will probably be their best shot at a stage win in the mountainous third week, as well as potentially a decent finish in the general classification.

Dion Smith and Gerben Thijssen are also good outside bets for a stage win, whilst breakaway specialist Taco van der Hoorn will likely chance his hand in the early moves on certain stages. 

The rest of their lineup includes the Italian trio of Francesco Busatto, Simone Petilli and Kevin Colleoni, along with Gijs Van Hoecke. (JL)

Israel-Premier Tech

• Team leader: Derek Gee
• Objectives: GC top five, stage wins
• Riders to watch: Marco Frigo, Corbin Strong

Derek Gee first gained major notoriety on Grand Tour debut at the Giro d'Italia in 2023, finishing runner-up on four stages, as well as in the points and mountains classifications. 

Since then, he has only gone from strength to strength, which has culminated in him becoming a GC rider and finishing ninth overall at last year's Tour de France.

The 27-year-old Canadian will lead Israel-Premier Tech at this year's Giro, having been in good form so far in 2025. He began his season with a victory in the general classification at O Gran Camiño in Spain, before finishing fourth overall at Tirreno-Adriatico and third overall at the Tour of the Alps in his preparation for just his third participation at a Grand Tour in his career.

In addition to their general classification ambitions, the team will also aim to capitalise on any opportunities for stage victories, with previous Grand Tour stage winners in Jan Hirt and Hugo Houle included in their squad for that exact purpose, alongside Marco Frigo and Nick Schultz. 

Corbin Strong will also look to be in the mix for the sprint stages, whilst Grand Tour veterans Jakob Fuglsang and Simon Clarke complete their lineup as the two oldest riders in the race. (JL)

Jayco-AlUla

• Team leader: Chris Harper
• Objectives: GC top ten, stage wins
• Riders to watch: Luke Plapp, Filippo Zana

Jayco-AlUla arrive at this year's Giro d'Italia with an interesting combination of riders that seems designed for stage hunting with the likes of Filippo Zana and Luke Plapp. 

The Australian outfit also harbours additional ambitions, as Chris Harper leads their team with an eye on the general classification. With his only notable result being a sixth-place finish in the general classification at the Tour of Oman, the team are certainly putting a lot of faith in the 30-year-old Australian, but it seems that their primary focus will still be stage victories.

Plapp's recent stage win at the Tour of Hellas will certainly have given him confidence ahead of his third Grand Tour, as it marked his first victory outside of the Australian National Championships. After finishing 11th overall at last year's race, Zana will be hoping to add another Giro stage win to his palmarès, having won stage 18 in 2023.

Supporting them will be the 2022 maglia azzurra and two-time Giro d'Italia stage winner Koen Bouwman, along with the experienced Michael Hepburn and three Giro debutants in Davide De Pretto, Felix Engelhardt and Paul Double, with the latter making his Grand Tour debut at the age of 28 years old. (JL)

Lidl-Trek

• Team leaders: Giulio Ciccone, Mads Pedersen
• Objectives: GC top ten, points classification
• Rider to watch: Mathias Vacek 

An impressive Spring Classics campaign from Lidl-Trek will be a difficult act to follow at the Giro d'Italia. Their strong lineup is set to compete on multiple fronts over the course of the three weeks of racing.

In the general classification, Giulio Ciccone will try his utmost to produce a strong performance on home roads and finally finish in the top ten overall at a Grand Tour, after coming close at last year's Tour de France.

He arrives at the race off the back of a solid block of racing at the end of April, in which he won a stage and finished fourth overall at the Tour of the Alps, before finishing runner-up at Liège-Bastogne-Liège behind Tadej Pogačar.

Away from the GC battle, Mads Pedersen will lead their ambitions in the sprints and points classification, as he looks to win the maglia ciclamino for the first time. The Dane currently has one Giro stage win to his name from his last participation in 2023 and he will look to add to his tally at this year's race.

He will have a reduced leadout train of Alex Kirsch, Daan Hoole and Mathias Vacek, whilst Patrick Konrad, Jacopo Mosca and Carlos Verona will support Ciccone for the general classification. (JL)

Movistar

• Team leader: Einer Rubio 
• Objectives: GC top ten, stage wins 
• Riders to watch: Nairo Quintana, Jon Barrenetxea 

Movistar are an interesting team for the Giro d'Italia, as Einer Rubio leads their squad after finishing seventh overall at last year's race. 

The 27-year-old Colombian rider also won a stage on a mountaintop finish to Crans-Montana in 2023, but has failed to win a race since then.

This season, he was somewhat anonymous at both the UAE Tour and Tirreno-Adriatico, but managed to take a fifth-place finish in his last race at Milano-Torino. Having not raced since March, his form is an unknown going into the Giro, but he will be hoping for a strong overall result.

Alongside him will be his veteran compatriot and 2014 Giro d'Italia winner Nairo Quintana, who finished second on stage 15 of last year's race to Livigno. The 35-year-old will likely target stage wins once again, as his days of chasing the overall victories at Grand Tours are behind him.

Having recently finished third at Eschborn-Frankfurt, Jon Barrenetxea is another rider to watch, as he will likely try to get up the road in a few of the early breakaways throughout the race in the hopes of a taking a surprise win, similarly to his victory on the final stage of the Vuelta a Andalucía earlier in the season.

Additionally, the Italian duo of Davide Formolo and Lorenzo Milesi will also be at the start in Albania for the team, along with Jefferson Alveiro Cepeda, Orluis Aular and Albert Torres. (JL)

Picnic PostNL

• Team leader: Romain Bardet
• Objectives: GC top ten, stage wins
• Rider to watch: Max Poole

It's almost the end of the road for Romain Bardet, who is racing his final Grand Tour before calling it a career after the Critérium du Dauphiné next month. 

Last year, he scored a top-10 finish while taking second from the breakaway on stage 10. A similar result, though with a stage victory, would be a great way to cap his Grand Tour career.

Rising star Max Poole will be one to watch. The 22-year-old Briton racked up four podium stage finishes at his Grand Tour debut at last year's Vuelta, and he heads into his Giro debut with a top 10 and the youth classification at the Tour of the Alps to his name.

Elsewhere, Picnic-PostNL's riders, including Chris Hamilton and Gijs Leemreize, will be taking chances where they can, while Grand Tour debutant Casper Van Uden is their choice for the sprints. (DO)

Polti-VisitMalta

• Team leader: Davide Piganzoli
• Objectives: Stage wins, minor classifications
• Riders to watch: Davide Bais, Mattia Bais 

Likely to be seen in the early breakaways throughout the Giro d'Italia, Polti-VisitMalta will be mainly focused on getting publicity for their sponsors during the three weeks of racing. However, the minor classifications, such as the intermediate sprints competitions, will also be of great interest to the second-tier Italian outfit, as the prize money that comes with them is not insignificant for a team of their size.

Having finished 13th overall at last year's race, Davide Piganzoli is likely to be their best hope of a decent finish in the general classification. The 22-year-old Italian rider was runner-up behind Derek Gee at O Gran Camiño earlier in the season and followed it up with 17th place at Tirreno-Adriatico and 11th place at the Tour of the Alps.

Davide Bais is the only rider on their roster to have won a Giro stage, having taken a surprise victory atop Gran Sasso d'Italia in 2023. His brother Mattia Bais is also an option from the breakaway, along with the other regular features of Mirco Maestri, Alessandro Tonelli and Andrea Pietrobon.

Giovanni Lonardi will be their main option for the sprint finishes, having recently won the points classification at the Tour of Turkey and consistent podium finishes throughout the season so far. 

The final member of their squad is Francisco Muñoz, as the 23-year-old Spaniard appears at the Giro for a second consecutive year. (JL)

Q36.5 Pro Cycling

• Team leader: Tom Pidcock
• Objectives: Stage wins
• Rider to watch: Matteo Moschetti

While Q36.5 Pro Cycling are a wild card team, they are not riding the Giro d'Italia to make up the numbers, as they arrive at the race with a strong team and a clear plan for stage hunting. 

Leading the line for the Swiss outfit will be Giro debutant Tom Pidcock, who will be looking to add to another Grand Tour stage win to his palmarès to go alongside his victory atop Alpe d'Huez from the 2022 Tour de France.

The British rider has shown good form so far this season, with four wins already to his name, and although he ultimately emerged from the Spring Classics without a victory, he still managed to finish on the podium at both Strade Bianche and La Flèche Wallonne. Pidcock won the Under 23 in 2020.

Alongside him, Matteo Moschetti will be hoping to be up there in the sprint finishes at this year's race, as the Italian rider has impressed in flat finishes this season, with wins at the AlUla Tour, Grand Prix Criquielion and the Tour of Hellas. 

He will have the help of Latvian teammate Emīls Liepiņš in the leadout, whilst Pidcock will have climbing support from Mark Donovan and Damien Howson, who have both had strong results in Italy this season. 

Nickolas Zukowsky and Milan Vader will both make their Grand Tour debuts at the ages of 26 and 29 respectively, with Xabier Azparren completing their lineup. (JL)

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe

• Team leader: Primož Roglič
• Objectives: Overall victory
• Riders to watch: Jai Hindley, Giulio Pellizzari

After a year away, 2023 Giro winner Primož Roglič returns to Italy as the top favourite for success once again, heading up a strong Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe selection. 

His Grand Tour pedigree, which includes four Vuelta a España wins, cannot be denied, and he's the big favourite for success again this month.

The Slovenian hasn't raced since the Volta a Catalunya at the end of March, but he beat Juan Ayuso in a head-to-head battle there, which can only be a good omen as the Spaniard is his main rival this month.

2022 Giro winner Jai Hindley and 2024 runner-up Dani Martínez head up a stacked support squad for Roglič, with both men surely ready to step up and challenge if anything goes wrong for the leader. 

2024 race revelation Giulio Pellizzarri is also on hand to support, as are Gianni Moscon, Nico Denz, Giovanni Aleotti, and Jan Tratnik. (DO)

Soudal-QuickStep

• Team leader: Mikel Landa
• Objectives: GC podium
• Rider to watch: Paul Magnier

Mikel Landa leads Soudal-QuickStep into the Giro and the 35-year-old Spaniard will be aiming to add to his two previous podium finishes – and three stage wins – at the race.

This season, he has a seventh place at Tirreno-Adriatico and fourth at the Volta a Catalunya to his name, while he'll look to Mattia Cattaneo and James Knox for support in the high mountains. 

With 42km of time trials on the race route, however, it looks like Landa's highest hopes will be for a podium rather than overall victory.

Josef Cerny is a past Giro stage winner on the squad, while 21-year-old Paul Magnier is one to watch. 

The Frenchman makes his Grand Tour debut in Italy, having won the points classification at the Giro Next Gen last year. Watch out for him in the early sprint stages. (DO)

Tudor Pro Cycling

• Team leader: Michael Storer
• Objectives: GC top five, stage wins
• Rider to watch: Marco Brenner, Rick Pluimers, Maikel Zijlaard 

• Tudor Pro Cycling Team leader: Michael Storer 
• Objectives: GC top five, stage wins 
• Riders to watch: Marco Brenner, Rick Pluimers, Maikel Zijlaard

A commanding performance to seal the general classification with Michael Storer at the Tour of the Alps will have given massive confidence to Tudor Pro Cycling ahead of the Giro d'Italia, with the 28-year-old Australian is set to lead the Swiss team at the Corsa Rosa, having finished tenth overall at last year's race.

Storer has seemingly managed to recapture and perhaps even better the form that saw him win two stages of the Vuelta a España in 2021, climbing and performing at an extremely high level so far this season.

His victory on the queen stage of Paris-Nice in March displayed his strength against WorldTour opposition, but the confirmation of his form at the Tour of the Alps has certainly made him one to watch for the general classification at the Giro.

The only area where he falls short is in the strength of the team around him, as Tudor lack the domestiques to help a rider of his calibre in the mountains, with Yannis Voisard, Larry Warbasse and Florian Stork being the closest thing to proper climbing support.

Marco Brenner's performance at the Giro d'Abruzzo indicates that he could also be of help to Storer on the climbs, but the German National Champion may hope to get some opportunities for himself throughout the race, after a strong season for the 22-year-old.

His compatriot Alexander Krieger will also form part of the team, whilst the Dutch sprinting duo of Rick Pluimers and Maikel Zijlaard are set to make their Grand Tour debuts, after they both came close to winning stages at Tirreno-Adriatico earlier in the season.

A notable absence from the lineup is Marc Hirschi, who had been expected to ride the Giro, but was removed after underwhelming performances in the Ardennes Classics indicated that he was not in good enough form to contest the stages in the opening week. (JL)

UAE Team Emirates-XRG

• Team leaders: Juan Ayuso, Adam Yates
• Objectives: Overall victory
• Rider to watch: Isaac Del Toro

UAE Team Emirates-XRG are the only squad stacked with enough big-name talent to rival Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, with Juan Ayuso leading the team's GC charge in Italy. 

The 22-year-old has third and fourth places at the Vuelta to his name, though it's his first time lining up at the Giro.

Adam Yates, who hasn't raced the Giro since taking ninth place in 2017, comes along as co-leader, though Ayuso looks the man best placed to battle Roglič for the pink jersey. 

He has the form on his side with a win at Tirreno-Adriatico and second at the Volta a Catalunya under his belt this season. Yates, meanwhile, won the Tour of Oman back in February.

Jay Vine, third at the Tour de Romandie, and Brandon McNulty head up a fearsome support squad which also includes Isaac Del Toro, Igor Arrieta, Rafał Majka, and former under-23 world champion Filippo Baroncini. (DO)

VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè

• Team leader: Filippo Fiorelli
• Objectives: Stage wins, minor classifications
• Riders to watch: Manuele Tarozzi, Martin Marcellusi

Similarly to Polti VisitMalta, VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè will be primarily focused on getting their sponsors in front of the cameras in the early breakaways at the Giro d'Italia, with the minor classifications also of interest to them. However, the ultimate ambition for a team of their size and stature is undoubtedly a stage win.

Filippo Fiorelli showed that he is good form with his recent performance at the Giro d'Abruzzo, in which he finished fifth overall and won the points classification, likely making him their best chance of a victory at the race, with the 30-year-old Italian rider potentially capable of finishing fairly well in the general classification.

Familiar names from recent years, such as Manuele Tarozzi and Martin Marcellusi, will also contest stages from the breakaways along with the rest of their team, which includes Luca Covili, Filippo Magli, Alessandro Pinarello, Alessio Martinelli and Enrico Zanoncello. (JL)

Visma-Lease A Bike

• Team leader: Simon Yates
• Objectives: Overall victory, points classification
• Riders to watch: Wout van Aert, Olav Kooij

Six-time Giro stage winner Simon Yates returns to the race for the first time in three years as he leads Visma-Lease A Bike's GC charge. The Briton finished third at the 2021 race and will once again be a podium candidate as he takes on a first Grand Tour for the Dutch team.

Wilco Kelderman, Steven Kruijswijk, and Bart Lemmen will be on hand to support Yates' GC ambitions in the high mountains.

A year on from his planned Giro debut, Wout van Aert has avoided crashes this spring to make it to Italy. The Belgian star will be stage hunting and among the favourites to pick up the first pink jersey of the race in Albania.

Sprinter Olav Kooij is also in the lineup as the Dutchman looks to add to the single stage win he took a year ago. Van Aert should be the last man in the lead-out for the 23-year-old. (DO)

XDS Astana

• Team leader: Wout Poels
• Objectives: Stage wins, UCI points scoring
• Riders to watch: Christian Scaroni, Lorenzo Fortunato

Now within touching distance of Picnic PostNL in the UCI team ranking, after having scored the third-most points of any team so far this season, XDS Astana have put themselves in a good position to secure safety from WorldTour relegation ahead of the Giro d'Italia and are likely to score even more points in the next three weeks.

Having taken the overall victory at the recent Tour of Turkey, Wout Poels arrives at his fourth Giro with the hope of finally securing the Grand Tour stage win treble, after already securing victories at both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España in 2023. He will lead the Kazakh team, which seems to be largely built around stage hunting rather than contesting the general classification.

Wins this season for Christian Scaroni and Lorenzo Fortunato have contributed to the team's current position, with both riders hoping to carry their form and contest stages from the breakaway. Meanwhile, Max Kanter will be their designated sprinter and will look to place well on the flatter stages.

In supporting roles alongside them will be 35-year-old Giro veteran and eight-time stage winner Diego Ulissi, as well as his compatriots Fausto Masnada and Nicola Conci, with Kazakh rider Anton Kuzmin completing their lineup. Surprisingly there is no place for current Italian national champion Alberto Bettiol. (JL)