One attack, one, was enough for Jai Hindley to win the 2022 Giro. Okay, yes, it was in the Marmolada. But it was with three kilometers to go from the last port of the race. The cyclist who wants to plant in Rome on May 28 with the pink jersey knows that they will require him to go much more to the limit. That cyclist pretends to be Remco Evenepoel, the world champion who. At 23 years old, he dreams of winning his second big one, joining the Giro d'Italia to the Vuelta a España that he won last year.
The Belgian has been given the number 1 because of the arcobaleno jersey that he wears but also because he is the great favourite, even though he is alone in the face of danger.
As in the classic western, Evenepoel is the sheriff played by Gary Cooper who must face off alone against the entire gang of gunslingers and outlaws from the mountains. That is, all his rivals.
Of the Belgian prodigy – no compatriot has worn pink since Johan de Muynck in 1978 – there is no doubt. As in the Vuelta or in Liège, which comes from winning, the big asterisk is whether his team, Soudal, has a sufficient level to control and toughen the race, according to the interests of its leader.
Van Wilder, Vervaeke and Serry repeat as their squires at the Vuelta. In addition, Hirt and Cattaneo already accompanied him in March in the Volta a Catalunya. But it seems a fair group to contain the tactics and wealth of assets of their opponents. His great rival must be the Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Jumbo), who by the way beat him in Catalonia, and has Kuss and Oomen. But they are the tip of the iceberg of the barrage of threats that hang over him. Haig, Caruso and Buitrago are the trident of Bahrain. Ineos is very strong with Thomas, Geoghegan Hart, Arensman and Sivakov. Education First combines the experience of Urán with the youth of Healy. Bora bets on Vlasov. And the UAE, without Pogacar or Ayuso, is not far behind with Almeida and Vine.
Many wheels to follow for the Soudal. In addition, in the Giro you live above 2,000 meters: Gran Sasso (7th stage), Grand Saint Bernard and Croix Coeur (13th), Sempione (14th) and the sacred staircase: Valparaola, Giau and Tre Cime di Lavaredo (19th).
Without bodyguards, for Evenepoel each of the planned 70 km time trials will be a blessing, including the extremely hard time trial climb to Mount Lussari. Today the first 20 on the Costa dei Trabocchi, perfect for local idol Filippo Ganna.
