100th Giro D'Italia Sponsors

27 April 2017 11:47

The 100th edition of the Giro d’Italia is about to start. The Corsa Rosa, organised by RCS Sport/La Gazzetta dello Sport and running from 5 to 28 May, has many important partners who will live and travel together for three weeks of emotions in sport, culture and racing passion. NamedSport, already an important sponsor in RCS Sport's classics, will be one of the top partners, sponsoring the Stage Winner. Among them are the event’s sponsors, all listed here:

Top Sponsors
Enel – Maglia Rosa
Banca Mediolanum – Maglia Azzurra
Segafredo Zanetti – Maglia Ciclamino
Eurospin – Maglia Bianca
NamedSport – Stage Winner 
Casa.it – Last Km

Timekeeper 
Tag Heuer 

Sponsors
Honda – Official Cars and Motorcycles
Selle Italia – Super Team
Bio Presto – Winning Team
Unibet – Combativity Award
Rovagnati – KM
Pinarello – Gran Premio Fuga
Autostrade per l’Italia – Intermediate Sprint
Santini SMS – Cycling Clothing

Partners
Algida, DPV, Extra White, Fossati Serramenti, Husqvarna, IAF Store, Nilox, Pirelli (Best Descender Award), Regione Lombardia, Sangemini, Vittoria
 
Suppliers
Astoria, CDI, GAE Engineering, Sitip
 
Licensees
All4Cycling, Astoria, Bollé, Coverstore, Elite, Le Formiche di Fabio Vettori, Gadget Group, Panini, Pinarello, Santini SMS, Saucony, Selle Italia, VeloNews, Vittoria, Winner Italia

Tour Operators
Custom Getaways Inc., Go 4 Cycling, Grand Tours Project, Musement, Search Travel, Sports Tours International 


THE RIDERS TO WATCH AT THE GIRO 100: THE STAGE HUNTERS

Today we introduce some of the potential protagonists at the Giro 100 who will try to fight for one or more stage wins of this historic edition with solo attacks, long distance breakaways and finisseur efforts: here are the stage hunters.

Milan, 26 April 2017
- Stage hunters will have many opportunities along the route that will take the Carovana Rosa from the start of the first stage in Alghero to the finish line in Milan. On stage 2, from Olbia to Tortolì in Sardinia the route has many ups and downs that could be the launch pad for the bravest wheels.
Another interesting day is stage 6, from Reggio Calabria to Terme Luigiane, where the last 2km climb averages a 5.3% gradient, hitting slopes of 5 to 10% in the final km. Here, stage hunters might be able to get away.
Stage 8, from Molfetta to Peschici, could also provide an interesting opportunity for the riders with good legs and the right touch of bravery to escape from the peloton. In the last week of the race, stage 17 from Tirano to Canazei features the Aprica, Tonale and Giovo climbs, which may be fertile ground for long breakaway attempt by the stages hunters.
Some of the stages hunters to watch out for at the Rose Race are:


Rui Costa (POR – UAE Team Emirates)
. After participating in eight consecutive Tours de France without starting any other Grand Tour, the former world champion crowned in Florence in 2013 will embark on this year's Giro d’Italia with the aim of winning stages for his UAE-registered team. As an indicator of form, the Portuguese took the overall victory in the first WorldTour ranked Abu Dhabi Tour in February.
Talking about the Giro 100, Rui Costa said: “I am very happy to be at the start of the Giro d’Italia for the first time in my career. The Giro is a fantastic race in a beautiful country, and it is really exciting to ride it in its 100th edition. The route of the Giro 100 has several stages with characteristics that suit me well; I have always liked go hunting for stages, and it would be great to win one or more stages of the Corsa Rosa. A stage victory in the 100th edition has a special value, even more special for me, considering it will be my first Giro.”


Filippo Pozzato (ITA – Wilier Triestina)
. Finishing eighth in the Tour of Flanders, the Italian shows no decline in either motivation and competitiveness at the age of 35. Pozzato wants to celebrate the Giro 100 in flamboyant style by winning a stage, as he last managed to do in 2010 in Porto Recanati. 
Filippo Pozzato said: “I have great ambitions ahead of this Giro d’Italia, it is an honour for me to take part in the Giro 100, as it is for all the Italian riders. My objective is to come away with a victory, maybe the result of a long distance break. I know there are two or three stages where I could do something. My team, one of the two Italian teams riding the Giro, is really confindent in my potential.”


Adam Hansen (AUS – Lotto-Soudal)
. The Australian has raced and completed all three Grand Tours – sixteen in total – since the 2011 Vuelta a España, making him a record holder for many years to come. Hansen’s aim for 2017 is winning a stage at the Giro as he did in Pescara in 2013.
Adam Hansen said: “I am very excited on the eve of this Giro. I have done countless Giros but to me it feels I am more excited than any other riders who will be at the start, not only because this is the 100th edition of the Giro, but just because it is the Giro!
“I feel I am in the best shape of the last three years, and my objective is to try to win a stage, maybe going in the break. The team's main aim is to win a stage with André [Greipel], but in other stages we have riders that can go in the break and try to win. I hope our team will be active in most of the stages, as that gives us more chances to win one or more.”


Enrico Battaglin (ITA – Team Lotto NL-Jumbo). Having already won two stages at the Giro – in 2013 and 2014 – Battaglin, a complete rider, will try to support his captain Steven Kruijswijk in winning the GC, while at the same time trying to find space to win a stage. One potential opportunity for victory is in the very same finale in Oropa where the Italian won three years ago. Enrico Battaglin said: “Our team goes to the Giro to win it. We know our strength as we showed it last year – we want the Maglia Rosa. Anyway I believe there will be space for us to attack and try to win stages, if the team will allow me, either from breakaways or contesting some finales. I’ve seen very interesting stages since the early days and it seems there’s a lot of room to create attacks


Davide Formolo (ITA – Cannondale-Drapac). Stage 4 in the 2015 Giro d’Italia was his first – and only – pro victory to date, but his physical maturation gives his fans hope of more to follow. Aged 24, Cannondale-Drapac’s young Italian is the kind of talent who could break away from a star studded peloton in hilly or mountainous stages.


THE RIDERS TO WATCH AT THE GIRO 100: MAGLIA ROSA DREAMING - PART 1

With little more than a week before the Giro d’Italia's Big Start in Sardinia, let's profile a first group of potential GC contenders for the final victory at the Giro 100 contested from 5 to 28 May 

Milan, 27 April 2017 - In this unique and historic edition of the Giro d'Italia there are plenty of riders with GC ambitions, but only one of these men will be able to wear the final Maglia Rosa in Milan, lifting the Trofeo Senza Fine. Over the next three days we will share their profiles and hear their impressions before the start.
The first challenge for the GC contenders will arrive soon: stage 4, from Cefalù to Etna, which will end with a 20km climb featuring an average gradient of 6% that will start in Nicolosi and end at the Rifugio Sapienza, 1,892 metres above sea level on Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe. The next climb finish will be on stage 9, Montenero di Bisaccia to Blockhaus; its final13km will feature long sections of 9% inclines with peaks at 14%.
The first few stages of the Giro 100 will not decide the final winner but will give a clear indication on the form of all the contenders before the Sagrantino Stage ITT and the great mountains waiting for the Corsa Rosa.
A first group of GC contenders to watch out for at the Giro d'Italia are:


Mikel Landa (ESP - Team Sky). Since he came third at the 2015 Giro d’Italia, Mikel Landa has been touted as a potential Grand Tour winner. He was forced to pull out of last year's Corsa Rosa due to sickness and rode the Tour de France as a domestique. This time around, he co-leads Team Sky with Geraint Thomas.
Mikel Landa said: “The Giro d'Italia is a special race. The people are so passionate and you can really feel their support. The fact that this year is the 100th Giro will make it even more special. The Giro is going to be a big challenge but I feel that I’m in good form and it’s a challenge I’m ready for. As always, it is a real climbers’ race and I think that will suit me. We have a strong squad and I’m really looking forward to returning to the Giro with Team Sky.”


Tom Dumoulin (NED – Team Sunweb)
. After spending six days leading last year’s Giro d’Italia before winning two major stages of the Tour de France while preparing for the Olympic time trial race (where he finished 2nd), the Dutchman has only one focus this time around: the overall classification of the Corsa Rosa. For the first time, Dumoulin trained at altitude in preparation.
Tom Dumoulin said: “The Giro d’Italia is a great race. Last year I had the honor of wearing the Maglia Rosa for a few stages, it was really special. It’s going to be an exciting race this year with the 100th anniversary edition but also for me personally, aiming for a GC result from the start of the Grand Tour for the first time. Me and my Team Sunweb team-mates are ready and want to perform at our best in Italy, and we’ll see what result we end with in Milano.”


Ilnur Zakarin (RUS – Team Katusha Alpecin)
. The Russian lay fifth overall in last year’s Giro d’Italia when he was forced to pull out following a heavy crash while descending the Colle dell’Agnello. Zakarin recovered in time to win a mountain stage of the Tour de France, then started the 2017 season on the right foot as runner up at the Abu Dhabi Tour – he’s aiming for more at the Giro d’Italia.
Ilnur Zakarin said about the Giro 100: “After my crash and forced abandon in 2016 I really want to show that I am able to finish a Grand Tour in the top five. I think that last year, without my crash in the descent of the Colle dell’Agnello, I would have been able to finish the 2016 Giro in the top five. This year my preparation was a bit disturbed by a bad crash in the Tour of Catalunya but I hope to be on track again just in time to perform very well in the Giro. It is the 100th edition, which is very special. It would be nice to put myself and my Katusha Team in the spotlight. I like this race; the Giro has a great history and I look forward to be part of its 100th edition. Moreover, I want to play a key role. It will be hard because many good riders are present, but I like challenges.”


Rohan Dennis (AUS – BMC Racing Team)
. As he finished second at Tirreno-Adriatico after winning the inaugural team time trial with BMC Racing Team and the closing individual time trial, the former track rider announced his four-year plan to become a Grand Tour overall contender. He takes the Giro 100 as a first test, focusing on the two time trials while Tejay van Garderen handles the leadership. 
Rohan Dennis said: “I have a lot to learn and I have to start somewhere where there are a lot more opportunities to get a result so I chose to race the Giro d’Italia. It’s the first Grand Tour of the year and if you can learn how to race the Giro as a General Classification rider, you can race any Grand Tour.
“On paper, if you look at the route, I think 90 percent of the time the Giro is the hardest one every year. It’s probably the least-suited to me when it comes to the terrain so to be able to learn how to ride GC in a race that isn’t really suited to me, is a huge bonus for me in the future. My form at the Tour of the Alps leading into the Giro was spot on. I think I’ve given myself as good a chance as possible for my first GC attempt at a Grand Tour.”

Source: DSG