Cadel Evans will be banking on his climbing prowess next year when he attempts to add a pink Giro d’Italia jersey to his 2011 Tour de France title.
The Italian Grand Tour will start with three days of racing in Northern Ireland before a key final week of epic racing in the high mountains.
Evans, who was pipped to a runner-up finish in 2013 by Colombian Rigoberto Uran, called it a “balanced” course which should suit his, and others’, climbing abilities.
“It’s not as concentrated as previous editions, but they are certainly not easy stages,” he said at the presentation of the three-week Italian epic, which begins on May 9 in Belfast and ends on June 1 in the Trieste region of Italy.
“You go into the last week already with some stages with a lot of climbs in your legs, not necessarily in the high mountains, but they are difficult.
“At this point we have to look at (Vincenzo) Nibali (as the favourite), but experience will help guys like Ivan (Basso) and myself.”
Vincenzo Nibali, of the Astana team, claimed his maiden pink jersey after a dramatic 2013 edition that was blighted by torrential rain, a cancelled stage and a snow-hit ride to Tre Cime di Lavaredo in the Dolomites.
Next year’s edition is set for an equally dramatic end with some key climbs including the 20th and penultimate day to Monte Zoncolan, labelled the ‘Welcome to Hell’ stage, set to decide overall victory.
Nibali, who sealed his 2013 triumph with an epic ride in a snowstorm to the summit of Tre Cime, will line up as the man to beat.
The Sicilian, who did not compete at the 2013 Tour de France but went on to finish runner-up at the Tour of Spain last month, said: “It’s a balanced and great looking race, but we’ll all have to race well.
“There are a lot of stages that suit the climbers. The big riders that were here at the presentation are the ones that will go on to fight for the 2014 win.”
Overall, the race will feature five stages in the high mountains, five in the `medium’ mountains, eight flat stages, one team time trial and two individual time trials.
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