With a part of team Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux participating in Paris-Nice this week, seven other riders will participate in the 57th edition of the Tirreno-Adriatico (2.WT). The stage race is composed of six bunch races and an individual time trial.
In contrary to the two previous editions, the event against the clock is scheduled on the opening day of the Race of the Two Seas. On Monday, the riders have to cover 14 flat kilometers along the Tyrrhenian Sea in Lido di Camaiore. The second and third stage with finishes in Sovicille and Terni suit sprinters and precede an explosive final in Bellante (3.8km at 7%) on the fourth day.
The riders will cross the Marche region from the fifth day, which also ends uphill in Fermo (3.2km at 6%). The penultimate stage is considered as the queen stage of this edition and contains a double ascension of the Monte Carpegna (6km at 9%). The second passage on the top precedes a descent of 13 kilometer towards the finish. The stage race is concluded with an opportunity for sprinters on a circuit around San Benedetto del Tronto at the Adriatic Coast.
For the first time in his career, Norwegian rider Alexander Kristoff will line up for the Tirreno-Adriatico, just like his compatriot Sven Erik Bystrøm, who finished ninth in the Tour of Algarve two weeks ago. They will be accompanied by two other elements of the sprint train, Andrea Pasqualon and Adrien Petit. Italian climber Domenico Pozzovivofinished seven times in the top fifteen of the general classification in nine participations and completes the selection under the direction of Aike Visbeek, Valerio Piva and Ioannis Tamouridis with Lorenzo Rota, fourth in Laigueglia, and Taco van der Hoorn, who distuinguished himself in the breakaway in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and the Strade Bianche.
« I feel like I’m already part of the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux family for several months thanks to the warm welcome of all staff and riders in each race. I’m looking forward to the start of the Tirreno-Adriatico, which usually is my first main goal of the season. Just like the Tour de Suisse, Tirreno-Adriatico is a one week stage race in which I regularly played an important role and I hope it will be the case again in this 57th edition. My performance in the Ruta del Sol, where I started my season in February, already gave me satisfaction about my form. The opening time trial in Lido di Camaiore is similar to the closing time trial of the previous years, which often helped me to climb in the general classification. It should suit me well, although the fact that it is the opening stage enables the time trial specialists to race with fresh legs and create bigger gaps. »
Stage 1 (07/03): Lido di Camaiore – Lido di Camaiore (13,9km)
Stage 2 (08/03): Camaiore – Sovicille (219km)
Stage 3 (09/03): Murlo – Terni (170km)
Stage 4 (10/03): Cascata delle Marmore – Bellante (202km)
Stage 5 (11/03): Sefro – Fermo (155km)
Stage 6 (12/03): Apecchio – Carpegna (215 km)
Stage 7 (13/03): San Benedetto del Tronto– San Benedetto del Tronto (159km)
