Darren Rafferty during the Giro d'Italia last year, on debut, and he could be going back there with EF Education-EasyPost (Photo: Mirror Media)
Darren Rafferty, now starting his third season with EF Education-EasyPost, is set for a busy period of racing ahead that may result in the 22-year-old from Co Tyrone taking on the third Grand Tour of his career.
With a Vuelta and Giro already under his belt, and having really impressed for the team in both, Rafferty is squarely in contention to go back to the Giro, where he would likely ride for Richard Carapaz.
The former Olympic road race champion looks set to be the team's general classification leader again. He won the race back in 2019, riding for Movistar, and was 3rd on GC last year, when he also won a stage.
Rafferty has proven himself a promising stage race rider, having proven well able to go on the attack in both Grand Tours he has ridden to date.
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"I'm currently on the longlist, so that would be nice," he said of the Giro. "It would be nice to go back there, I loved it last year, we'll see."
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Having already ridden two Grand Tours despite his youth - the Vuelta in 2024 and the Giro last year - Rafferty said his preference was probably for he Giro. Conditions were cooler there and, as he already had the experience of a Grand Tour in his legs, he knew what he was in for when starting last year’s Giro.
"The legs are coming around, it's nice to be back racing and getting stuck in," he said of starting his season with four one-day races in Mallorca before moving on to Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta (2.Pro).
Last weekend he also took in two races in France, alongside Ben Healy; Faun-Ardèche Classic (1.Pro) and Faun Drome Classic (1.Pro).
He rides the 192km Trofeo Laigueglia (1.Pro) tomorrow, Wednesday, which features lots of climbing, including a series of repeated climbs, two par lap, on the three passages of the finishing circuit.
Rafferty then moves on to Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (2.UWT), from March 23rd to 29th, before taking on Tour of the Alps (2.Pro) from April 20th to 24th.
The Giro then takes place from May 8th to 31st, which would complete the first half of Rafferty's season, if he is selected.
EF Education-EasyPost has not confirmed its line-up yet, though Carapaz is likely to lead the team. After last year’s Giro, he went back to Ecuador for a time but fell ill there, with a gastrointestinal infection, and missed three months of the season, including the Tour de France.
