Giro 2023: Favourites
fotobureau Cor VosPrimoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel were expected to battle it out for the maglia rosa in the 2023 Giro d'Italia until Evenepoel was forced to pull out with Covid-19. Geraint Thomas became the new challenger and the race came down to a dramatic apotheosis on the penultimate day. Roglic won the ITT on Monte Lussari and stripped Thomas from pink to win the GG with a 14 seconds lead.
Read about the pre-race GC favourites or click on the links in the table below for the favourites per stage. Obviously, all these articles were written before the start of the race(s).
Giro d'Italia 2023 - favourites per stage
| date | favourites | km | type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6-5 | ITT for pink | 19.6 | ITT |
| 2 | 7-5 | For fast men#1 | 201 | flat |
| 3 | 8-5 | Breakaway day or sprinters | 216 | hills |
| 4 | 9-5 | Fireworks on Colle Molella | 175 | mountains |
| 5 | 10-5 | For fast men#2 | 171 | hills |
| 6 | 11-5 | Fast men or attackers | 162 | hills |
| 7 | 12-5 | Pure bred climbers on Gran Sasso | 218 | mountains |
| 8 | 13-5 | For the punchers | 207 | hills |
| 9 | 14-5 | ITT specalists on the flat | 35.0 | ITT |
| 15-5 | rest day | |||
| 10 | 16-5 | Attackers with fast legs | 196 | hills |
| 11 | 17-5 | For fast men#3 | 219 | flat |
| 12 | 18-5 | Piquant finale for attackers | 179 | hills |
| 13 | 19-5 | Intense climb fest | 199 | mountains |
| 14 | 20-5 | Sprinters surviving the Simplon Pass | 193 | mountains |
| 15 | 21-5 | Il Lombardia al Giro | 195 | hills |
| 22-5 | rest day | |||
| 16 | 23-5 | Mountain goat on Monte Bondone | 203 | mountains |
| 17 | 24-5 | For fast men#4 | 195 | flat |
| 18 | 25-5 | Mountain race for attackers | 161 | mountains |
| 19 | 26-5 | Last chance for pure climbers | 183 | mountains |
| 20 | 27-5 | Thomas vs Roglic vs Almeida | 18.6 | ITT |
| 21 | 28-5 | For fast men#5 | 126 | flat |
GC Favourites
Who are the pre-race favourites for this year's maglia rosa? Evenepoel and Roglic kicked off their 2023 campaign with strong performances, but with the likes of Almeida, Thomas, Geoghegan Hart and Vlasov also competing it's a save bet to expect the unexpected. It wouldn't be the first time that the Italian Grand Tour pulled a surprise winner out of its pink hat. Prego, Cyclingstage.com brings you the hottest GC favourites.
Read more »
ITT for pink
The GC battle rages from day one onwards. Pre-race favourites Evenepoel en Roglic will want to put time into their rivals, while ITT specialists such as Ganna and Küng are eyeing up the pink jersey. Who are the favourites for the first maglia rosa of this year's Giro?
Read more »
For fast men#1
The pink carpet is rolled out for the fast men on the roads between Teramo and San Salvo. A sprint finish is the most likely outcome in the 2nd stage of the Giro d'Italia.
Read more »
Breakaway day or sprinters
The 3rd stage could be a day for the breakaway, although the likes of Pedersen and Matthews could decide otherwise. Get rid off pure sprinters in the demanding pre-finale and sprint for the win in Melfi.
Read more »
Fireworks on Colle Molella
The race to Lago Laceno is likely to see a battle for the pink jersey on Colle Molella. Probably between breakaway riders, just maybe between GC riders. The route not only takes in three big intermediate climbs, the finish is situated just after the hardest of those three, which is the Molella.
Read more »
More articles
For fast men#2Fast men or breakaway
Pure bred climbers on Gran Sasso
For the punchers
ITT specialists on the flat
Attackers with fast legs
For fast men#3
Piquant finale for attackers
Intense climb fest
Sprinters surviving the Simplon Pass
Il Lombardia al Giro
Mountain goat on Monte Bondone
For fast men#4
Mountain race for attackers
Last chance for pure climbers
Thomas vs Roglic vs Almeida
For fast men#5