The Wolfpack returns to Italy for the 55th edition of the prestigious race.
For the first time since 2010, Tirreno-Adriatico won’t be bookended by time trials, the opening stage of the 55th edition being instead one for the sprinters, who’ll battle for victory in Lido di Camaiore – one of the three opportunities they’ll have next week. But the race, which boasts a total of 15 000 vertical meters, will see a mix of puncheurs and climbers fight for the general classification, the climb to Sassotetto (14.2km, 5.8%), on the fifth day, promising to play a major role in the final outcome.
On the last stage, the peloton will be again in San Benedetto del Tronto, for the flat 10.5km individual time trial which will be raced on the same route that has featured since 2015. It will be again on the viale Buozzi that the overall winner of the “Race of the Two Seas” will be presented with Neptun’s trident, one of the best trophies in sport.
Davide Ballerini, Iljo Keisse, James Knox, Fausto Masnada, Florian Sénéchal, Stijn Steels and Bert Van Lerberghe will be on Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s squad for next week’s Italian World Tour race, which was previewed by Davide Bramati.
“I think it will be for the first time in 20 years or so that Tirreno-Adriatico will have eight stages, just one of the changes we have for this edition, the other important one being the absence of a team time trial. As always, we start with a good squad, which includes our newest member Fausto Masnada, who impressed just two weeks ago at the National Championships, and some fast guys in Davide and Florian, who can fight for a good result. This being said, there are plenty of reasons to look with confidence to the race”, said Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s sports director.
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