25/04/2024

OFFICIAL: INEOS Grenadiers the first team to confirm Giro d'Italia lineup; Geraint Thomas and Filippo Ganna as the big leaders

INEOS Grenadiers have announced their team for the upcoming Giro d'Italia. The British team are the first to make it official and they will chase the pink jersey dream, like last year, with Geraint Thomas in the lead.

The Welshman rode to an incredible Giro last year, coming to form at the exact perfect time and racing at his best ever level, taking the pink jersey all the way into the final time-trial where he lost it to Primoz Roglic. With the presence of Tadej Pogacar it is very difficult to imagine the same happening this time around, but Thomas is named by some as the number 2 favourite for the overall classification.

Roubaix legend Roger de Vlaeminck believes Tadej Pogacar would've never been able to drop him - "Pogacar isn't even half the rider Merckx was"

He will not be the only rider of the British team with possible GC aspirations. Last year, despite being in a domestique role, Thymen Arensman rode to a sixth spot. This year he's finished in the same position at Tirreno-Adriatico and could be a second hard for the team. Former world time-trial champion Tobias Foss will be a key support rider in the mountains and has recently shown great form at the Tour of the Alps.

Filippo Ganna comes in to chase wins in the time-trials, as well as supporting Thomas in the flat stages and being an all-round handyman. The team can count on Jhonatan Narváez and Magnus Sheffield for support of it's GC riders but also to chase stage wins as both riders are extremely talented - specialist in the hilly days and time-trials respectively; whilst the team counts on the cousin duo of Ben and Connor Swift to complete the lineup as riders who will provide support mostly on the flat days.