Versatile Intermarché - Wanty announce Giro d'Italia 2025 lineup capable of competing on all fronts

With the 2025 Giro d'Italia fast approaching, teams across the peloton are unveiling their lineups for the first Grand Tour of the season. The latest of which have been Intermarché - Wanty, announcing a versatile lineup capable of competing on all fronts.

Leading the lineup are the experienced heads of former Vuelta stage winner Louis Meintjes, riding the 19th Grand Tour of his career and the former Giro stage winner Taco van der Hoorn. "Our selection of eight riders for this Giro d'Italia includes several spearheads, each with specific goals on different terrains," explains Aike Visbeek, Performance Manager at the Intermarché - Wanty team, in a press release on the official website. "Louis Meintjes and Taco van der Hoorn have both already proven their worth with Intermarché-Wanty in a Grand Tour. With Taco, we've identified the stages that are favourable for breakaways, right from the start in Albania. As for Louis, we're focusing on the very intense final week. With the team, we need to support him optimally and keep him in the battle as well as possible until we reach the Alps."

"Uphill, Simone Petilli and Kevin Colleoni will play a crucial role in this," Visbeek adds. "We expect that by then, many riders will still be close together at the top of the general classification. With confidence in his abilities, we will look for opportunities for Louis and patiently await his strong final week, which is usually his best."

Those two experienced heads aren't the only ones with ambitions for this Giro though. "We are also investing in the development of two young, fast riders, Gerben Thijssen and Francesco Busatto, for whom this Giro could mark an important step in their careers," Visbeek explains. "Gerben will be able to count on an experienced sprint train, composed of Gijs Van Hoecke and Dion Smith, to make the most of the sprint opportunities. He has prepared well, and the experience gained during his debut in the Tour de France, combined with composure, could be the key to success."

"Francesco Busatto will have numerous finales that should suit him well for his first Grand Tour. He will have the opportunity to showcase his solid performances from the autumn classics of 2024 at a higher level," adds the Intermarche - Wanty boss. "The preparation for this Giro has been intensive, both sportingly and technically. With our trainers, we organized a high-altitude training camp in the Sierra Nevada. Furthermore, our nutrition and clothing partners have provided us with optimal support to be prepared for all weather conditions. With our technical partners, we paid particular attention to the gravel stage, building on our success in Paris-Roubaix. This is undoubtedly the most comprehensive preparation for a Grand Tour that we have undertaken in close collaboration with our partners. We hope that this investment will pay off over the next three weeks."