Twenty-one stages and 3.578km to crown the winner of 2019 Giro d’Italia. Next Saturday, Bologna will host the Big Start of the 102nd Giro d’Italia with a 8.2km hilly ITT. On the program, there are two other ITTs (58km total) and also 5 high difficulty stages in which riders will have to face iconic climbs like Gavia and Mortirolo but also includes unprecedented climb to Lago Serrù: Colle del Nivolet. The Giro will end on June 2nd with the last ITT in Verona.

For the General Manager Brent Copeland:”This is a very important appointment during our season which we are all very excited about, we have worked hard to get to the start of this Giro with the best possible team, Vincenzo has worked tremendously hard to the build up of this race and his physical condition is at one of the best I have seen in years before a Grand tour, the rest of the team are all in just as good shape and therefore we are sure we will contribute to some very exciting racing for the fans and cycling in general”.

Vincenzo Nibali will try to win the pink jersey for the third time: "The Giro is my great goal for the first part of the season and my preparation has been designed to be ready at the start of the Italian race. I feel ready to start this great adventure”. The route is very demanding with lots of mountains and even many kilometers of individual time trials. The opponents are many, but I will be at start in Bologna with a lot of serenity and confidence; it will be the road to decide which will have been the best".

Domenico Pozzovivo will be very important especially in mountain stages:“Fortunately, the consequences of the crash at Fleche Wallone were less severe than was thought at the beginning and therefore the preparation continued without any particular problems. My task will be to help Vincenzo and, for this year, not aiming at the GC. This role will also give me the opportunity to try to win a stage “.

“We have an excellent team - explains SD Alberto Volpi - well structured for all kinds of routes with experienced riders such as Domenico Pozzovivo and Damiano Caruso. Our leader, Vincenzo Nibali, has shown in the last few races to have a very good condition and I am sure we will be among the protagonists of the “pink race”.

TBM’s line-up for Giro d’Italia: Vincenzo Nibali, Antonio Nibali, Domenico Pozzovivo, Damiano Caruso, Andrea Garosio, Grega Bole, Kristijan Koren and Valerio Agnoli.