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Tirreno-Adriatico is one of the most prestigious stage races on the men's WorldTour calendar, and without a doubt the most important one-week race in Italy. In addition, due to its location on the calendar, between Strade Bianche and Milano-Sanremo, we find many of the classics specialists on the start list who, added to the men who have the race as one of their objectives of the year, make up a tier 1 list of participants.

The route

The race begins on the shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea and ends on the shores of the Adriatic, which is why the race’s nickname “corsa dei due mari” (the race of the two seas) is fully justified. The route of this edition begins with a short 11-kilometer Individual Time Trial in Lido di Camaiore, which has attracted several of the great specialists of the discipline, who will try to wear the first blue leader's jersey. Whoever comes out as the leader on the first day should be able to maintain the jersey without too many problems in stages 2 and 3, which seem destined to bunch sprints, but from the fourth day the general classification will begin to be decided. Stages 4 and 6 are ideal for puncheurs, with explosive uphill finishes, while the queen stage is the fifth, as it presents the finish line at the Sarnano-Sassotetto ski resort (13.2 km at 7.2%). Finally, the seventh and final stage presents a new opportunity for sprinters, with the traditional circuit at San Benedetto del Tronto.

Favorites

Both Filippo Ganna (800) and Wout Van Aert (1200) are two of the strongest in the world in time trials, and the two main favorites for day one. Primož Roglič (1200), Geraint Thomas (1000), Edoardo Affini (400), Thymen Arensmann (800), João Almeida (1200), Brandon McNulty (800), Alberto Bettiol (400) or Matthieu Van Der Poel (1200) also usually perform well against the clock.

Primož Roglič (1200), Enric Mas (1000), Adam Yates (1000), Geraint Thomas (1000), João Almeida (1200), Alexandr Vlasov (1200), Jai Hindley (800), Brandon McNulty (800), Damiano Caruso (600) and Mikel Landa (600) are the main climbers on the start list, and the best candidates for the general classification. However, it cannot be ruled out that Wout Van Aert (1200), Filippo Ganna (800) or Thomas Pidcock (600) could perform on the final climb of the fifth stage.

For pure sprints, Jasper Philipsen (1200), Mark Cavendish (1000), Fabio Jakobsen (800), Fernando Gaviria (800), Juan Sebastián Molano (400), Alberto Dainese (600) and Jordi Meeus (400) are some of the fastest. However, more versatile riders like Wout Van Aert (1200) and Biniam Girmay (600) are also very good sprinters. For his part, it is possible that Mathieu Van Der Poel (1200) works for Philipsen on the flat stages and saves his leading role for the hilly finales on stages 4 and 6, where he will have to face Wout Van Aert (1200), Biniam Grimay (600), Thomas Pidcock (600), Julian Alaphilippe (1000), Matej Mohorič (800), Diego Ulissi (600), Alessandro Covi (400), Benoît Cosnefroy (400) or Alex Aranburu (600).

In short, a starting list full of stars that makes it very difficult to compose our team. Good luck to and enjoy this beautiful race!

Photo: Tirreno-Adriatico