'I hope to make some headlines but not by losing' - Filippo Ganna targets Tirreno-Adriatico TT on road to Classics peak fitness

Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) is again the big favourite to win Monday's opening Tirreno-Adriatico time trial, with a surprise defeat arguably creating bigger headlines in La Gazzetta dello Sport than a win.

The Italian Champion has won Tirreno-Adriatico time trials four times, three on the roads of the Tuscan coast on stage 1 and once on the roads of the Adriatic on the final day. He has 37 career wins, 30 in time trials.

In the absence of his current chrono nemesis Remco Evenepoel, Ganna's biggest rivals appear to be Isaac del Toro (UAE Tam Emirartes-XRG) who has opted to start every, Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Britain's Ethan Hayter (Soudal-QuickStep), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) and perhaps Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), who is making his season debut in Italy.

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Ganna appeared relaxed and ready as he posed with the other big-name Tirreno-Adriatico contenders on Sunday afternoon at a media event. He won the recent time trial at the Volta ao Algarve and is keen to start his final build-up to MIlan-San Remo and the cobbled Classics with a win.

"I hope to make some headlines but not by losing. Two years ago Juan Ayuso beat me by a second, so I'm not infallible and I don't have a crystal ball to understand the future but I want to win," Ganna told Cyclingnews.

Ganna and his Ineos Grenadiers teammates trained on the time trial course on Sunday and also took time to recon the Giro d'Italia time trial that covers the same roads. All the riders can do a final recon of the 11.5km out-and-back seafront course on Monday morning.

"It's an all-out, 11-minute effort. But there's never a preferred time trial, short or long, simple or technical. They all hurt," Ganna explained.

"Earlier we did a recon of the Giro d'Italia time trial, which is on similar roads along the Tuscan coast but it's 40km long. That'll be a longer effort, stuck in a time trial tuck and suffering. Time trialing is about suffering but I'm not complaining. It's my thing and I try to win every time I can."

Overall contenders at stage races are often scaramantico about touching a race trophy but Ganna jokingly picked up the Tirreno-Adriatico winner's trident trophy during the official photo shoot.

Ganna fought to finish second overall last year, hauling his huge build up the climbs each day. He enjoyed a good winter and season debut in Portugal but is purposely not yet at his best.

"I'm a little bit behind compared to this time last year but that's not a bad thing. I hope to switch things around this year and be at my very best all the way to Paris-Roubaix," Ganna explained.

"I prefer my spring that way, so I can reach Milan-San Remo and the cobbled Classics at my best. I was in super form last year for Tirreno-Adriatico, so I suffered every day and fought for the GC. This year I want to do well in the TT and take the race day by day."

Like all the teams and riders, Ganna knows rain is expected for much of the week. That could make Tirreno-Adriatico a race of survival and illness avoidance.

"I remember a cold edition three years ago, when almost everyone got sick. Then, a week later, I was completely wasted at the start of Milan-San Remo. Hopefully, we'll get a good version of Tirreno this time," he concluded.