Jonas Vingegaard is set to make his Giro d'Italia debut, and the field around him has already changed. João Almeida has pulled out with illness, while Richard Carapaz has withdrawn after not fully recovering from a recent operation. tnt sports free trial
Vingegaard and the Giro field
The withdrawals leave Vingegaard as the leading favorite for the race, with Visma-Lease a Bike having played up his debut all year. That alone changes the pressure point at the top of the standings before a wheel has turned in anger.
The Giro runs for 21 days, and its opening stage in Bulgaria will already carry the maglia rosa on offer. For a rider making his first start, that means Vingegaard enters a race that can tilt quickly if the early classification battle goes his way.
Hindley, Yates and Gee
Adam Yates remains among the riders expected to challenge him. Jai Hindley, the 2022 winner, is another proven name in the mix, while Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe has said 22-year-old Giulio Pellizzari will be aiming for the podium after winning the recent Tour of the Alps.
Derek Gee adds another layer after finishing fourth at last year's Giro d'Italia. That gives the race a smaller list of headline contenders than it had at the start of the build-up, but the GC fight still has enough weight to punish any hesitation.
Rome and the final test
The route ends with a city-centre showdown in Rome, a finish that can reward riders who survive the early mountain pressure and stay close through three weeks of racing. For Vingegaard, the task is straightforward on paper and severe in practice: start as the favorite, absorb the loss of two major rivals, and manage a debut that now carries even more expectation.
