The international cycling season will begin in the last days of January and the main figures are preparing to achieve their goals with the three Grand Tours in sight.
Despite the fact that the Giro d’Italia, the first major of the year, will start on May 6 and before that there is another series of races that could cause crashes, injuries or changes to the calendars, the teams outline their leaders for the Giro, Tour and Return.
Unofficially it has been announced that the ‘pink corsa’ will have Richard Carapaz (INEOS), Simon Yates (BikeExchange-Jayco), Tom Dumoulin (Jimbo Visma), Miguel Ángel López (Astana), Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) as candidates for the title.
Italy spin:
Richard Carapaz, Richie Porte, Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers)
Simon Yates (BikeExchange-Jayco)
Tom Dumoulin, Tobias Foss (Jumbo-Visma)
Miguel Angel Lopez, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Qazaqstan)
Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates)
Mikel Landa (Bahrain-Victorious)
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)
Giulio Ciccone, Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo)
On the other hand, the Tour de France would have the duel of Slovenians between Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma), but the Colombian Egan Bernal (INEOS) would also join the fight.
Tour de France:
Tadej Pogacar, Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates)
Primož Roglič, Jonas Vingegaard, Steven Kruijswijk, Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma)
Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers)
Thibaut Pinot, David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ)
Miguel Angel Lopez, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Qazaqstan)
Enric Mas (Movistar)
Mikel Landa, Damiano Caruso, Jack Haig (Bahrain-Victorious)
Giulio Ciccone, Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo)
Ben O’Connor (Ag2r-Citroen)
Finally, and although it is the last big event of the year in August, the Vuelta a España would have its current champion Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma) and the locals Enric Mas and Alejandro Valverde.
Back to Spain:
Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma)
Tadej Pogacar, Joao Almeida, Marc Soler, Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates)
Enric Mas, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar)
Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl)
Nairo Quintana (Arkea-Samsic)
By: Daniel Zabala, Taken from Antena2