Canyon SRAM has revealed its squad for the upcoming Giro d’Italia Women, commencing on Sunday, 7th July 2024. The lineup boasts a blend of experience and fresh talent, featuring Neve Bradbury, Elise Chabbey, Antonia Niedermaier, Soraya Paladin, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka, Alice Towers, and Maike van der Duin.
Chabbey and Paladin bring a wealth of experience, embarking on their fifth and eleventh editions, respectively. They are joined by climbing specialists Bradbury and Niedermaier, entering their third and second editions. Giro debutants Skalniak-Sójka, Towers, and Van der Duin complete the team.
The eight-day race kicks off with a 15.7km individual time trial in Brescia. The stages vary from flat to undulating to demanding mountain routes. Early stages favour sprinters and puncheurs, while the climbers will get their chance to excel in the mountains of Umbria. The queen stage, featuring two climbs of Passo Larciano and a summit finish at Blockhaus, promises to be a decisive test for the peloton’s best climbers. The final stage runs from Pescara to L’Aquila.
Niedermaier, a stage winner in 2023, is seen as a strong contender for the overall classification. Bradbury impressed at the Tour de Suisse last month, securing her first World Tour win with a remarkable climbing performance. Meanwhile, Van der Duin has proven her sprinting capabilities with notable results at the Vuelta a Burgos and Ford RideLondon Classique.
Elise Chabbey expressed her enthusiasm for the race, saying, “I’m happy to be selected for my fifth Giro d’Italia. It’s always a super nice tour with different kinds of stages and many opportunities. We come there with Neve and Antonia, two super young, talented GC riders, and I’m excited to help them reach the top and support them during the tour.”
Chabbey added, “I think stages 2 and 5 will be for the sprinters. Stages 3, 7, and 8 will determine the GC, and stages 4 and 6, maybe more open, are the ones I’m the most excited about. Hopefully, I will get my chance to grab my own opportunities in some breakaway.”
