Colombian sensation Rigoberto Urán will carry Omega Pharma - Quick-Step colors into the 97th Giro d'Italia with eyes on riding as high on GC as possible.
Second overall last year, the 27-year-old climbing specialist says anything is possible in the season's first three-week grand tour.
"I hope to do the race as well as possible. I don't like to talk too much about results. So many things can affect the outcome of a race. You can be in the best shape, and have a crash, and it's over in an instant," Urán said. "Last year I was second, now everyone expects me to win, but it's complicated. There are 200 starters, 21 stages, and 3,500km of racing. Anything can happen. I hope to arrive high on GC."
Since joining Omega Pharma - Quick-Step in 2014, Urán has been training especially for the Giro, and hopes to hit his peak in the final week of the Giro, just in time for a string of decisive mountaintop finales.
For Urán, who packs a potent punch at the end of hard climbing stages, this year's Giro route is ideal for his qualities.
"Every grand tour is demanding. This year's Giro is a hard one, with the final week with some hard climbs, including the Zoncolan. That's where it will be decided, but in a grand tour, you have to be good from the first day to the last," Urán said. "I am coming into the Giro feeling strong, and even more important, I will have the support of a strong team."
Indeed, Urán will count on a deep and experienced squad to bolster his chances. Wout Poels, Serge Pauwels, Thomas De Gendt, third in the 2012 Giro, and Gianluca Brambilla will be among Urán's men for the mountains, while veteran sprinter Alessandro Petacchi will be hunting for stages and serve as a road captain.
"We will have a very strong team to support 'Rigo," said Omega Pharma - Quick-Step sport director Davide Bramati. "We believe he can go far in the Giro, and we are excited to support him. He is looking to have good condition."
Urán's arrival to Omega Pharma - Quick-Step gives the team extra depth for the major stage races, marking a new challenge for the team that traditionally has done well in the spring classics and the sprint finishes, with ex-world champion Mark Cavendish. While younger riders, such as Michal Kwiatkowski, are still developing their GC skills, Urán steps right into that role with ease.
"It's exciting for us as a team to go to the Giro with ambitions for the overall," Bramati said. "Rigoberto is a very natural leader. He makes everyone feel at ease. He is always smiling. I have never once seen him sad or unhappy. He is always joking and enjoying himself."
Urán might be relaxed off the bike, but in the race, he's all business, and says he is excited about the prospect of leading Omega Pharma - Quick-Step into one of the season's most prestigious and important races. With his move to Omega Pharma - Quick-Step this season, the 27-year-old taken the next step in his career, and will assume team captaincy for the first time in a major stage race.
"This team is so big, so professional, it's a real point of pride for me to be leading during the Giro," Urán said. "This team has a special quality, and I know there's more pressure on me, but I am ready for the challenge. I know with the support of the team, we can go a long way."
Urán, who won the silver medal in the road race in the 2012 Olympic Games in London, is part of a new wave of Colombians entering the peloton. A pro since he was 19, Urán is already an experienced rider despite still being in his 20s.
"I feel like a veteran, but I am still young. I have been many years in the peloton, so I have seen almost everything. You learn with each passing year, with each race. Now I am ready to make the next step," Urán said. "This team signed me to be a captain for three-week races. Those are the races that are best for me. We have a very strong group of riders for the Giro. Now I hope the legs respond."
Omega Pharma - Quick-Step is ready to support Urán, and he is the first acknowledge it takes an entire to team to aspire to perform well in a grand tour. Not only the nine starters, but the complete dedication and hard work from mechanics, sport directors, soigneurs, trainers, and even the bus driver.
"We have a big challenge for the Giro. Everyone has been working hard, and the preparation has gone well," Urán said. "We are all in this together. I love the Giro, it's a special race. We have a very strong team. I hope to pay them back for their support with a good performance."
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