Pello Bilbao: "I am at the disposition of the team"

Bahrain - Victorious come to the Giro d'Italia with a multi-pronged approach, however Pello Bilbao has come clear that he does not seem to have intentions of leading the team - instead having that role filled by Mikel Landa.

“I am at the disposition of the team, I’ve demonstrated that I can deliver when I have been asked. Mikel [Landa] will have the maximum responsibility, so I am motivated to race hard, to fight for a stage or for the the GC," Bilbao told VeloNews. The Basque stage-racer has had a very strong spring with wins at Itzulia Basque Country and Tour of the Alps, aswell as a prestine performance at the UAE Tour which earned him a spot on the podium.

Adding to that, he's also finished fifth at Strade Bianche and ninth at Tirreno-Adriatico, making for his best-ever season start possibly. "I come into the race feeling good and with some big spring results, we’ll see what comes from the race and it’s a long three weeks," Bilbao confirmed.

He'll be riding in support of Mikel Landa, however it would be unwise for Bahrain - Victorious to burn him up for that goal - unless if the situation fits. The same can be said of Wout Poels and Santiago Buitrago, who are both strong climbers who can be up there with the climbers, and provide Bahrain with a lot of depth that can be crucial for their race.

“I don’t think we can wait until the last week to move. Of course, if we are in good position, we can ride a bit more defensively. I believe that I am in a very good spot. I’ve learned a lot, I’m stronger and more mature, and I feel like I am still progressing. I don’t see why I should put any sort of any limits on myself," he added.

“We’ll see after a week or so where each of us are positioned and we can make a better decision on who we’ll be backing. Our objective is to leave here with the least amount of losses of possible, and with the stages that come, we’ll see where things shake out and how the GC will be decided," Bilbao concluded. Bahrain is a team that provides confidence of being in the battle for the race win, and it will be on the road that decisions will be made.