"The aim will be to try and win a stage because I’m not really ready for the GC" - Andrea Bagioli on his goals at debut Giro d'Italia in 2024

Having signed for Lidl-Trek from Soudal - Quick-Step, Andrea Bagioli is hoping for a breakthrough season in 2024. Key to his goals will be at the Giro d'Italia as the Italian makes his debut appearance at his home Grand Tour.

“I’ll start in Algarve, so it’s a late start. Then I’ll go to Italy for Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico, and Milan-San Remo. Then it’s Basque Country, Amstel, Flèche Wallonne and Liège. Then it’s the Giro, which I’ll be doing for the first time in my career,” he told GCN recently. "I hope to have a leadership role in some of those early races, and in Amstel and Flèche. I was sixth in Amstel this year and those sort of races are perfect for me. So I will be one of the leaders."

Despite having big plans for the future in Grand Tours, Bagioli is not convinced he can do more than challenge for stages at the 2024 Giro d'Italia. As such, that will be his main target. "For the Giro, the aim will be to try and win a stage because I’m not really ready for the GC at this moment."

Towards the end of 2023 however, the Italian struck gold with some brilliant form. Winning at Gran Piemonte and finishing second at Il Lombardia. “The last weeks of the season were just incredible and I really wasn’t expecting to be in the front, especially in Lombardia with guys like Roglič, Yates and Vlasov. It was amazing and I hope that’s how I start the next season," he concludes. "The motivation for 2024 is already there.”