After missing out on Giro top-10 Lorenzo Fortunato quickly returns to action and leads Astana at Criterium du Dauphine

Having spent the majority of the 2024 Giro d'Italia firmly entrenched into the top-10, Lorenzo Fortunato eventually suffered a disappointing third week and end up in 12th. Wasting no time in putting that disappointment behind him, the Italian is straight back into action.

With the Criterium du Dauphine providing a mix of riders post-Giro d'Italia and pre-Tour de France, the three weeks racing already in Fortunato's legs could prove a telling factor if the 28-year-old is to bounce back with a positive result. Leading the Astana Qazaqstan Team at the 2024 Criterium du Dauphine, Fortunato also will have support alongside him.

The likes of Harold Tejada, Ide Schelling, Anthon Charmig, Michele Gazzoli, Santiago Umba and Anton Kuzmin pose a strong lineup of support around Fortunato with prospects for themselves also likely over the course of the week in France.

Notably though, both of Astana Qazaqstan Team's expected Tour de France leaders, Mark Cavendish and Alexey Lutsenko are absent from the traditional Grand Tour prelude. Cavendish, who will make one last attempt at a history-making 35th stage win later this summer, has instead opted for the Tour de Suisse as his preparation race. It is unknown where Lutsenko will be next in action after abandoning the Giro d'Italia ahead of stage 9.

Astana Qazaqstan Team for 2024 Criterium du Dauphine:

Lorenzo Fortunato
Ide Schelling
Michele Gazzoli
Harold Tejada
Santiago Umba
Anthon Charmig
Anton Kuzmin