Tadej Pogacar 100% ready for Giro d'Italia debut: "It’s a race I’ve dreamed of doing for a long time"

Tadej Pogacar is the start of the upcoming Giro d'Italia; and not only that, he is the man to beat in the race for the pink jersey and the most likely rider to take several stage wins throughout the three weeks. However, it's important not to forget that this will actually be his first Corsa Rosa and he is heading into unknown territory.

“The preparation for the Giro has gone really well. I haven’t raced too much so far this year, just 10 days, so I’m feeling fresh and ready to take on my first Giro," Pogacar said in a press release. "It’s a race I’ve dreamed of doing for a long time and it feels like now that the time is right to go for it." The team today confirmed their lineup, which as expected includes the likes of Rafal Majka, Mikkel Bjerg and Domen Novak. Most of the team's main climbers will race the Tour de France and not play a supportive tole here.

The Monaco resident is no stranger to Italy, where he frequently travels to and races already for many years. "I raced in Italy a lot as an amateur and it has been an important country in my journey as a cyclist. For sure it is one of my favourite places to ride a bike and I also love the culture and of course the food. I hope we can make this month a special one," he adds. On the menu is a meal packed with mountain stages where he is expected to thrive; and where only unexpected events would remove him from the main favourite status.

"Obviously my aim is to go for the GC and we also have [Juan Sebastian Molano] for the sprints and a very solid team in general. We can’t wait to get it started," he concludes, not overshadowing his Colombian teammate which has been given the freedom and a leadout to look for his own opportunities throughout the three weeks.