Can Dumoulin win a second pink jersey or is it Roglič’s time?

In anticipation of Saturday’s kickoff of the 102nd Giro d’Italia, Canadian Cycling Magazine has previewed the Corsa Rosa, introduced the four wild card teams, and appreciated the swashbuckling style of Thomas De Gendt. Now it’s time to ask, who is going to wear the pink jersey in fair Verona on June 2?

First of all, who isn’t racing Back in January, cycling fans were salivating at the deep GC field shaping up for the Giro. But since then, Fabio Aru stopped racing to undergo an iliac artery operation, Alejandro Valverde injured his back in a crash while training, Egan Bernal broke his collarbone in a crash while training and Michael Woods . . . well, “news” of Woods’s participation was mostly conventional wisdom.

Tom Dumoulin (The Netherlands/Sunweb): The 2017 champion has three time trials, albeit climb-y ones, to suit his style. Last year he was runner-up in both the Giro and the Tour de France. His racing lead-up to the Giro this year is almost exactly what it was in 2017 and 2018. Dumoulin says that he isn’t feeling as sharp as in previous seasons, but this might be gamesmanship. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have Wilco Kelderman by his side, as his compatriot broke his collarbone in March’s Volta a Catalunya, but he will have Sam Oomen working for him.

Primož Roglič (Slovenia/Jumbo-Visma): Winner of three consecutive WorldTour stage races this year, and three stage races in a row last season, Roglič is the odds-on favourite to win the Giro. Fourth place in last year’s Tour de France, he is on sparkling form, showing at the recent Tour de Romandie that he can win reduced bunch sprints, mountain stages and time trials. Like Dumoulin, he lost his main lieutenant, Robert Gesink, to crash injuries, but will be looked after by Sepp Kuss and Antwan Tolhoek among others.

Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Bahrain-Merida): The Italians are excited: two-time winner Nibali’s general manager says that the Shark of Messina has never had better form so close to a Grand Tour. After his hat trick of pink jerseys, Nibali looked sharp at the Tour of Alps, placing third, but he was bested by two Ineos youngsters that were supposed to be carrying Bernal’s bags in the Giro. Now 34, time is running out for Nibali to win his fifth Grand Tour. Compatriots Domenico Pozzovivo and Damiano Caruso will be Nibali’s men in the mountains.

Angel Lopez (Colombia/Astana): He’s got the best nickname of the major contenders (“Superman” vs Dumoulin’s “Butterfly of Maastrict”, Nibali’s “Shark of Messina, Roglič’s “Ex-Ski Jumper” and Yates “Twin on the Left”).

On the podium of last year’s Giro and Vuelta a España, Lopez hasn’t raced since he won the Volta a Catalunya on March 31, part of Astana’s incredible early-season run. Superman will have some heavy hitters on his team, including Jon Izagirre, this year’s Itzulia Basque Country champion. The mountains of the final week will suit him the best, and the fact that the chronos are all hilly will keep him from losing time.

Simon Yates (Great Britain/Mitchelton-Scott): Simon Yates has unfinished business at the Giro d’Italia. After Stage 9 of last year’s Giro, Yates and teammate Esteban Chaves were in dreamland, one-two on the GC following the first of three Yates stage victories. By the conclusion in Rome, Chaves was 72nd and Yates, who was in pink for 13 days, stood 22nd. Simon and Esteban are back with chips on their shoulders–although it’s difficult to think of cheerful Chaves as chippy–with 2016 mountains classification winner Mikel Nieve for support. Yates’ Vuelta victory last year and his 2018 Giro performance up until Stage 19 showcased his tremendous ability and racing acumen.

Others: Mikel Landa will be carrying the flag for Movistar and showed good form at the recent Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo. It should be noted that the winner of that race was his teammate Richard Carapaz, who had Movistar’s best 2018 Grand Tour result, fourth at the Giro. A rider to watch is young Frenchman Valentin Madouas of FDJ, 11th at Paris-Nice, 17th in Itzulia Basque Country and eighth in Amstel Gold Race. Ilnur Zakarin (Russia/Katusha) stood on the 2017 Vuelta’s final podium and came eighth in the Tour de Romandie. Bob Jungels (Luxembourg/Deceuninck-Quick Step) owns two white jerseys for best young rider, finishing in the top-10 twice.