Australian cycling team Orica-GreenEDGE have set the lofty target of repeating last year’s stunning run of success at the Giro d’Italia.
Simon Gerrans, Michael Matthews and Dutchman Pieter Weening will lead their nine-man squad in the May 9-31 classic.
After winning the opening teams time trial a year ago, GreenEDGE held the leader’s pink jersey for a week.
Matthews also won stage six and Weening took out the ninth stage.
The Giro will again start on Saturday with a teams time trial, a discipline where GreenEDGE are usually among the top finishers.
“We are aiming for multiple stage wins and the leaders jersey,” said team director Matt White.
“If we could achieve similar results to last year then it would be a fair call to say we would be satisfied.
“I honestly think its achievable – if we can win the first stage team time trial we are off to a sensational start.
“Then when you look at the stages throughout the three weeks, we have got multiple options with our fast guys in Michael Matthews and Simon Gerrans, we also have a great group of opportunists to take on the medium mountain stages and even high mountains with (Colombian) Esteban Chaves.”
The team announced last month that Gerrans would ride the Giro for the first time since 2009.
He has had a succession of crashes, forcing an overhaul of his racing program.
Australians Simon Clarke, Luke Durbridge, Michael Hepburn and Brett Lancaster are also in the GreenEDGE lineup for the Giro, along with New Zealander Sam Bewley.
National champion Heinrich Haussler (IAM Cycling), Adam Hansen (Lotto Soudal), Richie Porte (Sky), Michael Rogers (Tinkoff Saxo) and Cal Watson (Trek) are other Australians in the provisional Giro start list.
Porte has had an outstanding start to the season and is one of the overall favourites.
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