ROAD CYCLING: When the 100th edition of the Giro d'Italia starts Friday May 5th, seven Australian riders will roll out from the start in Sardinia.
The 21-stage race covers 1615 kilometers starting with three stages on the island of Sardinia before returning to the Italian mainland finishing three weeks later in Milan. With six stages earmarked for the sprinters, eight medium mountain stages, five for the climbers and two individual time trials the race has opportunities for everyone.
Queensland's Adam Hansen (Lotto Soudal) will start an unrivalled 17th grand tour in a row, where he will be hoping to add to his stage success from 2013.
Dual Olympian Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing Team) will line in his first Giro, having previously ridden the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana, with the South Australian targeting the general classification.
With five wins to his name in 2017 Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) will be looking to add a Giro stage win to his palmares having won a stage of the Vuelta in 2015 and finished second on stage 12 a year ago.
Nathan Haas (Dimension Data) will start his third Giro in a season that has seen him finish top 10 at the Tour Down Under, Tour of Oman and Amstel Gold race.
Olympic team pursuit silver medallist Alex Edmondson (Orica-Scott) who claimed three top five finishes at the Tour de Romandie last week will make his grand tour debut in Italy.
With Olympic teammate Michael Hepburn (Orica-Scott) returning for the fourth time having twice won a team time trial stage.
Rounding out the Australian contingent is the experienced Rory Sutherland (Movistar) who in his fourth Giro will be key to his teams general classification hopes.
Australians at the 100th Giro d'Italia
Rohan Dennis (SA-26) BMC Racing Team - 1st Giro
Alex Edmondson (SA-23) Orica-Scott - 1st Giro
Caleb Ewan (NSW-22) Orica-Scott - 2nd Giro
Nathan Haas (ACT-28) Dimension Data - 3rd Giro
Adam Hansen (QLD-35) Lotto Soudal - 9th Giro
Michael Hepburn (QLD-25) Orica-Scott 4th Giro
Rory Sutherland (ACT-35) Movistar - 4th Giro
Starting Friday May 5 and running to Sunday 28th the 100th edition of Giro d'Italia includes 21 stages over a distance of 3463.1 kilometres.
