Amateurs ready for Girobio showdown

Girobio is the most important race on Italy’s amateur calendar, with each of the competing riders knowing it’s a chance to shine when professional team directors are watching. One Professional Continental team has already guaranteed it will offer of two contracts to riders in the event, before it has even commenced.

While big rewards are on the line, the 180 riders will be focused solely on performing well throughout the nine stage tour.

Girobio’s stages are a mixed bag allowing riders of all types an opportunity to perform throughout the event. It features flat sprint stages like the 168.9 kilometre stage two, while stage four will be suited to climbers and narrow the overall classification selection. It also includes a 30.5 kilometre individual time trial to Urbino on Stage 7, for the specialists against the clock.

While he’s only 21 years of age Italian Stefano Locatelli (De Nardi Colpack Bergamasca) is amongst the local riders expected to have a strong race. Locatelli has won the Tre Giorni Orobica’s general classification on two occasions.

Futura Team – Matricardi I also fielding a strong roster that includes Francesco Manuel Bongiorno. With a background in track sprinting former junior Italian track champion Matteo Pelucchi will be one to watch for the sprint finishes.

After Colombian Cayetano José Sarmiento Tunarrosa snuck away to win last year’s race the Italians will be watching the South American riders closely this year. Carlos Alberto Betancur and Winner Andrew Anacona Gomez are two such riders that will be watched closely, along with Argentina’s Daniel Ricardo Diaz.

Dutch rider Tom Dumoulin has shown good form this year, having won a stage and the overall at GP du Portugal and claimed victory at Omloop Lek en Ijssel. 2009 ZLM Tour winner Luke Rowe, who will ride with the Great Britain National Team, is one of the strongest Anglophone riders expected at this year’s race.