Darren Rafferty has been selected by his Hagens Berman Axeon team for the Baby Giro. It will be the 19-year-old's second appearance in the race after making his debut last year, in what was his first season at U23 level.
Rafferty enjoyed a very strong season in 2022, with his stand-out result coming when he won the Strade Bianche di Romagna (1.2U). He was also 6th in the U23 TT at the European Championships and rode very strongly in the five-stage Giro Ciclistico della Valle d'Aosta-Mont Blanc (2.2U), finishing 12th overall and 3rd in the young rider category.
So far this year he has had to contend with some injury troubles but has still placed 5th in both Giro del Belvedere (1.2U) and the U23 Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Last week he was 7th in Trofeo Alcide DeGasperi (1.2) and has also recently taken in an altitude camp ahead of the Baby Giro.
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Rafferty will, unfortunately, be the only Irish rider in the Italian seven-stage race. Trinity Racing - which has won the race and taken multiple stage wins in the past - is on the start line this year, though its Irish riders, Dean Harvey and Kevin McCambridge, are not in the team.
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Archie Ryan is also just returning from injury and while he would have been one of the top favourties to win the race overall, his Jumbo Visma Development team unfortunately starts the race today without its climbing ace Irishman.
The race gets underway today with a 9.4km individual TT in Agliè. There is also a rolly stage tomorrow - with modest but repeated climbs in the finale; a course that could suit Rafferty depending on how the stage is raced. The Baby Giro will not reach the really high mountains until stage 4, which features a summit finish on Passo dello Stelvio.
