Kruijswijk to count on new recruits for Giro d'Italia

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LottoNL-Jumbo's overall hope for the Giro d'Italia, Steven Kruijswijk, will benefit from a bolstered LottoNl-Jumbo team when he lines up this weekend in Sardinia for the 100th edition of the race.

The Dutch team specifically recruited Stef Clement and Jurgen van den Broeck – who have 30 Grand Tours ridden between them – to help Kruijswijk in the mountainous third week.

Kruijswijk was on track to win last year's Giro until a crash on the Colle dell'Agnello on the penultimate mountain stage left him chasing alone. He lost the maglia rosa that day, but has spent the last year knowing that but for that one mistake, he would have been a Grand Tour champion.

"I didn't lose it because I wasn't good enough, I lost it because of a crash," Kruijswijk told Cyclingnews last week. "I'm confident I can be up there again this year and compete with the guys who are up there."

Returning to the Giro to support Kruijswijk for the second year in a row are Enrico Battaglin, Twan Castelijns, Jos van Emden, Bram Tankink and Martijn Keizer.

Belgian time trial champion Victor Campenaerts rounds out the team.

"It was great to wear the pink jersey last year," Kruijswijk added in the team's press release. "Now, I wish to finish on the final podium and preferably as high as possible."

LottoNl-Jumbo for the Giro d'Italia: Steven Kruijswijk, Enrico Battaglin, Victor Campenaerts, Twan Castelijns, Stef Clement, Marijn Keizer, Bram Tankink, Jurgen van den Broeck, Jose van Emden.