Six years after making his Giro d’Italia debut, Australian cyclist Simon Gerrans is heading back for another crack at the iconic race.
Orica-GreenEDGE on Thursday announced Gerrans will definitely line up for the first Grand Tour event of the year.
They will reveal the rest of their team in the week before the May 9-31 race.
The news came a day after Orica-GreenEDGE confirmed Gerrans would have the unusual role of domestique at Amstel Gold – an event where he has three podium finishes.
Gerrans’ injury-plagued start to the season have led to his support role in the first of the Ardennes Classics and only his second start at the Giro.
A broken collarbone in a training crash late last year and a cracked bone in his elbow last month ruined Gerrans’ early-season plans.
Now the 34-year-old’s season is starting to take shape.
“The Giro is perfectly timed for my first peak of the season,” said the four-time Grand Tour stage winner.
“With my latest racing block, the Classics and then the Tour of Romandie in my legs, I will arrive at the Giro fresh and hopefully in top condition.”
ORICA-GreenEDGE will be aiming to back up last year’s success at the Giro, where they claimed three stage wins – including the opening team time trial – while Svein Tuft and Michael Matthews wore the pink leader’s jersey for seven days.
“It’s a big priority for us again this season and with Simon in top condition we will have one of the strongest cards to play for the first part of the race,” sport director Matt White said.
Gerrans’ only previous start at the Giro was in 2009 during which he won stage 14 from Campi Bisenzio to San Luca in a breakaway.
He has the rare distinction of stage wins in the three Grand Tours – the Giro, the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana.
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