Ineos Grenadiers has named its line-up for the Giro d'Italia, with Geraint Thomas leading the squad and Irishman Eddie Dunbar missing out through injury.
Dunbar (23) crashed and fractured his left collarbone at Tirreno Adriatico three weeks ago on stage 3 of the race.
While he remounted and was able to finish the stage medical checks after the race confirmed his collarbone fracture and he was unable to start the following day.
Dunbar has not raced since then and it was feared from the time of his crash he would miss the Giro, which he was due to ride this year having made his debut in the race last season.
Those fears have now been realised as Eddie Dunbar has not been named in the Ineos Grenadiers team for the Giro confirmed this morning.
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Geraint Thomas, who was dropped for the Tour de France but has been coming into form in recent weeks, will lead the team in Italy.
He will be supported by a very strong squad which will be targeting overall victory to salvage a disastrous Tour de France. Its Tour leader, and the defending champion, Egan Bernal under-performed before abandoning complaining of back and knee pain.
With Thomas on the Ineos Grenadiers Giro team are: Jonathan Castroviejo, Rohan Dennis, Filippo Ganna, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Jonathan Narvaez, Salvatore Puccio and Ben Swift.
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On Saturday the fight for the maglia rosa begins at the #Giro. Here's how the INEOS Grenadiers will line up in Italy.
Click below for the pre-race thoughts of team leader @GeraintThomas86 and Sir Dave Brailsford.— Netcompany INEOS (@NetcompanyINEOS) September 30, 2020
Thomas (34) was 2nd in the Tour last year and won the
race the previous year but was dropped for this year’s edition due to lack of
form, despite riding so well last year having shown no good form in the buildup.
He said he has lost weight in recent weeks and was coming
around; his 2nd overall at Tirreno Adriatic and 4th in the TT at the Worlds
suggesting his condition is now much improved.
With three TTs in the Giro, Thomas goes in as one of the favourites. Ineos Grenadiers will also look to take the first race leader’s jersey from Saturday’s 15.1km TT into Palermo in a bid to start the race on a positive note.
It could take that iconic pink jersey on Saturday’s opener with new TT world champion Filippo Ganna or perhaps with Rohan Dennis, though he missed a TT medal at the Worlds.
Thomas said he was excited to lead Ineos Grenadiers again in Italy, adding he felt ready and was supported by a very strong selection.
“It’s been a strange year for everyone but it’s great to
have this big objective. The legs are feeling good,” he said.
“Tirreno went well and then the Worlds time trial was a confidence booster for me. Now stage one is nearly here and I’m more motivated than ever.
“I’ve a long association with Italy - I’ve lived here,
I’ve raced for an Italian team, and I had some rough luck the last time I came
to the Giro. I’m determined to right that wrong this time around.
“The team couldn’t have supported me any better in
the lead up to this race and I know those seven guys will do the job and
support me on the road. Now it’s time to fight for the maglia rosa.”
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