Giro d'Italia: Davide Formolo, Tim Wellens and other ones to watch
By Matt Westby
Last Updated: 20/05/16 12:00pm
All eyes will be on the contenders for overall victory at the Giro d’Italia, but there are plenty of other riders also looking to make an impact.
Up-and-coming talents, breakaway regulars, time-triallists and those hunting stage wins could all make a name for themselves over the next three weeks.
Here, we pick out six riders to watch…
Davide Formolo
Nationality: Italian Age: 23 Team: Cannondale
Formolo is one of the most highly rated young Italian riders of the current generation and claimed the biggest victory of his career so far by winning a stage of last year's Giro with an opportunist attack. He is unlikely to challenge in the general classification, particularly given that Rigoberto Uran is leading his Cannondale team, but more stage wins could be on the agenda this year.
Tim Wellens
Nationality: Belgian Age: 24 Team: Lotto Soudal
Wellens is one of the most aggressive riders in the sport and particularly likes to go on the attack on tough stages with plenty of climbs. Like Formolo, he doesn't have the capacity to trouble the general classification and will instead be targeting stage wins either out of breakaways or via late attacks. He won a stage of this year's Paris-Nice from a breakaway and it is surely only a matter of time before he adds a grand tour stage victory to his CV.
Bob Jungels
Nationality: Luxembourg Age: 23 Team: Etixx - Quick-Step
Jungels is an up-and-coming all-rounder who has enjoyed a promising season so far, the highlights being a stage win at the Tour of Oman in February and a third place in a time trial at the Tour de Romandie. Given that his Etixx - Quick-Step team don't have a general classification rider at this year's Giro, Jungels may be given free rein to go for stage wins and has enough talent to get one. He could also be a big threat in the flatter of the three time trials.
Diego Ulissi
Nationality: Italian Age: 26 Team: Lampre-Merida
Ulissi already has four Giro stage wins to his name and will be looking to add more to his collection this year. He is an expert at short uphill finishes and there are as many as four stages on the route that could suit him. A challenge for overall honours is unlikely, though.
Sergey Firsanov
Nationality: Russian Age: 33 Team: Gazprom-RusVelo
Firsanov would not have been considered as one to watch at the start of the year, but in the past six weeks he won a stage and overall title at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali and then finished a surprise fourth overall at the Giro del Trentino. It would be a major shock if he was challenging for overall victory, but on current form, a place in the top 10 does not look out of the question.
Stefano Pirazzi
Nationality: Italian Age: 29 Team: Bardiani-CSF
Pirazzi doesn't have the all-round ability to challenge overall, but expect him to join plenty of breakaways and launch a countless number of attacks in search of stage wins. Most of his attacks will be kamikaze, but he is a good enough climber to make the odd one stick, as he did when winning a stage in the 2014 Giro.
