Roman Kreuziger, Joaquim Rodriguez and Frank Schleck spearhead a foreign legion hoping to end Italian hopes of scoring a home win in the Giro d’Italia, which begins today in Herning, Denmark.
In 66 of the 94 previous editions, Italians have claimed the race’s coveted pink jersey.
Michele Scarponi, Ivan Basso and Damiano Cunego have all been crowned Giro champions and will be looking to stay in contention throughout a 21-stage epic which, although including three time trials, should have the climbing specialists licking their lips.
The 95th edition has been billed as wide open, meaning they are likely to be pushed all the way.
Kreuziger, 25, has decided to skip the Tour de France this year to concentrate on trying to win one of the other two Grand Tours.
An all-rounder with good time-trialling and climbing abilities, he finished fifth last year having im-pressed with two consecutive top ten places at the Tour de France in the two previous years.
Rodriguez has never won a Grand Tour but the former winner of the Tour of Spain’s King of the Mountains prize finished seventh at the 2010 Tour de France and was fourth at the Giro in 2011.
“In Spain, they say I’m the biggest favourite to win the Giro d’Italia for several years,” admitted the Spaniard during a meeting with the media this week.
“I don’t think there’s one big favourite in the race.
“There are a lot of riders who can win the Giro, including some who could cause a surprise.”
Luxemburger Schleck could fall into that category.
He was shocked to be called up at the last minute by RadioShack after Danish team-mate Jakob Fuglsang got injured.
“I was at the playground with my daughter when I got the call and was asked to ride the Giro d’Italia,” said Schleck.
“It was a shock but then I looked at the race route and realised it’s a good opportunity for me.”
Last year’s race was won by Alberto Contador, but after his results over the last two years were annulled due to doping offences, Lampre all-rounder Michele Scarponi will start as the official defending champion.
Four of the six stages in the last week of the Giro will be spent in the thin air of the high mountains, giving the likes of Italian Domenico Pozzovivo and Vene-zuelan Jose Rujano outside chances of a top finish.
French climbing specialist John Gadret, who finished a surprise but deserved third last year, is hoping to do even better.
“I wasn’t a favourite last year but I proved what I could do,” he said.
“I’ll try and do the same, if not even better. The last week of the route is very difficult, all the stages are tough.
“But it’s the riders who make the race.”