It’s always complicated to make a hierarchy of favorites in an U23 stage race. Partly because many riders are still to be discovered, the talent of some is known but not enough to know if they will be competitive even after 8 days of racing, partly because at the under level there are not so many hard stage races as The Giro Next Gen 2024.
In any case, the most important U23 race in Italy, and among the most desired and prestigious in the world, will once again pit the WorldTour satellite teams against the best Italian teams, in a mix that provides great entertainment. Results and talent in hand, the Visma Team | Lease a Bike has a good chance of continuing the success achieved last year with Johannes Staune-Mittet. The Dutch team has a very promising trio of climbers, with Darren Van Bekkum, Tijmen Graatwho have already done at least 4 stage races this year, with good results otherwise, and the very talented first year Jørgen Nordaghen.
Then there are Mathys Rondel (Tudor), 11th in the Tour of the Alps with professionals and recent winner of the Orlen Nations GP, and also Jarno Widar (Lotto Dstny), 2nd at the Ronde de l’Isard and winner of the Alpes Isère Tour. Speaking of Frenchmen, they cannot be underestimated Leo Bisiauxfirst year and 3rd at the Peace Race, e Killian Verschurenfourth year and 4th at Alpes Isère Toure, both from Decathlon AG2R La Monde.
However, the Italians will not stand by and watch, so be careful Alessandro Pinarello And Matteo Scalco (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè), engaged several times also with professionals, Ludovico Crescioli (Team Technipes #inEmiliaRomagna), Florian Samuel Kajamini (MBH Bank Colpack Ballan), Edoardo Zamperini (UC Trevigiani Energiapura Marchiol), placed practically everywhere this year, Luca Bagnara (Team Polti Kometa), winner of the Volta a Portugal do Futuro a few days ago, and Samuele Privitera (Hagens Berman Axeon).
Finally, from a general ranking perspective, they must be kept an eye on Max Van der Meulen (CTF Victorious), the Colombians Diego Pescador And Jefferson Ruiz (GW Erco-Shimano), and then again the winner of the Piva Trophy Pavel Novak (MBH Bank Colpack Ballan), of the Giro del Belvedere Gal Glivar (UAE Team Emirates GenZ), Milan Donie (Dstny Lot), Huub Artz (Wanty-ReUz-Technord) e Ilkhan Dostiyev (Astana Qazaqstan), 2nd at the Tour du Rwanda.
Great spectacle promises to be even in the fastest stages, with Paul Magnier (Soudal-QuickStep) expected protagonist from the top of his victories at the beginning of the season also with professionals. The Frenchman could aim for the stages for sprinters but also for those that are a little more choppy. In the first few he will have to deal with Daniel Skerl (CTF Victorious), Tim Torn Teutenberg (Lidl Trek), Noa Isidore, Rasmus Pedersen (Decathlon AG2R La World) e Kasper Andersen (Hagens Berman Axeon), while in the others watch out for Alessandro Romele (Astana Qazaqstan), Niccolò Arrighetti (Biesse-Carrera), Lorenzo Conforti (VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) e Simone Gualdi (Wanty-ReUz-Technord). For the opening time trial and possible first Maglia Rosa, however, there is one name above all, that of the Swede Jakob Söderqvist (Lidl-Trek), winner of the Tour de Bretagne.
