Pogacar, Vingegaard, Evenepoel, Roglic... Giro d'Italia presentation delayed but looking to attract big stars

The Giro d'Italia route presentation was initially scheduled for the start of next week but this won't come to be. There has been a delay, likely due to issues organizing the Grande Partenza in the small nation of Albania... But a report also suggests that the race is working hard to convince the absolute best stage-racers to take to the start.

"There is no change in plans nor a problem with Albania. The press conference in Rome was only delayed because of a technical problem on our side," RCS director Paolo Bellino told Cicloweb. Earlier, there had been rumours that a secondary plan is in design, in case it's not possible to start the race in Albania - poor road conditions in several locations, adding to the obvious logistic challenge and even financial issues.

But likely, this plan will remain. Only the route will most likely only be presented in January now according to the Italian news outlet - later than the Vuelta a España and only four months before the start of the race.

In that report is also the notion that the race organizers RCS are making big efforts to attract big stars into the race to fight for the pink jersey. Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard will aim for the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, that's virtually confirmed, but after Pogacar's double this year it becomes possible to believe that Vingegaard could attempt to do the same next year. Remco Evenepoel will aim high for a suiting Tour de France, but we do not know if a Giro is in mind as well. Primoz Roglic should have the Tour as his main goal, being the one Grand Tour missing from his palmarès, but recent statements where he indicated he may avoid Pogacar in racing could lead him back to the Corsa Rosa.