Mikel Landa will lead our squad between 9 May-1 June, at the Corsa Rosa.
The Giro d’Italia is more than just the first Grand Tour of the season, it’s a three-week epic journey that can be rewarding and ecstatic, but also cruel and merciless. The Giro is pure poetry, it’s love for coffee, culture and mythology, it’s the race of the memorable duels between Coppi and Bartali, and also one of the Wolfpack’s happy hunting grounds.
In 20 participations, the Wolfpack has racked up a total of 33 stages and nine distinctive jerseys, in addition to multiple other classifications and a runner-up spot in the overall standings. This year, as Albania prepares to become the 12th different country to host the Grande Partenza, Soudal Quick-Step will be at the start with the ambition of being again among the protagonists, regardless of the terrain and the conditions, and leave its mark on the Corsa Rosa.
The experienced Mikel Landa, one of this century’s finest climbers, is ready to lead the team at the 108th edition of the event which he has twice finished third overall, in addition to winning three stages and the famed KOM jersey. The Basque, top ten this season in Tirreno-Adriatico and Volta a Catalunya, shared his excitement at the thought of being back at the race he loves so much.
“I am content with the first months of the season, it’s been a good start to the year for me and now I can’t wait to be with the guys at the Giro d’Italia. I had a solid altitude training camp in Sierra Nevada, continued to prepare also after coming home and I am happy to be back at the start of the race that has made me the rider that I am today. I expect a hard Giro, with a demanding final week, but I am ready to fight for a stage victory and a good general classification there”, said Mikel.
Joining Landa on the Soudal Quick-Step roster will be Mattia Cattaneo, Josef Cerny, Gianmarco Garofoli, British Champion Ethan Hayter, James Knox, Luke Lamperti, and Paul Magnier – one of the most promising young riders in the World Tour, who’ll make his Grand Tour debut. The race, which starts from Durres and concludes in Rome, takes in 37 kilometers of individual time trial, 30 kilometers of gravel roads, and around a dozen mountain stages, featuring climbs such as Passo del Tonale, Mortirolo, Colle delle Finestre or Sestriere.
“There are a lot of demanding stages, especially those in the final week, where everything can happen, which means we need to be attentive the entire time. We have a good and motivated team for this first Grand Tour of the year. Mikel will lead the squad’s GC ambitions, while Paul will try to be involved in the bunch sprints. We know it’s going to be a hard race, but we are ready to do our best”, said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Davide Bramati.
Photo credit: ©Szymon Gruchalski / Getty Images
