UAE TEAM EMIRATES' TO TACKLE CENTENNIAL GIRO D'ITALIA

Portuguese rider and winner of this year’s Abu Dhabi Tour Rui Costa will lead a seven man strong UAE Team Emirates line-up at the 100th Giro d’Italia. Starting in Naples, the first Grand Tour of the season takes place from Friday 5 May - Sunday 28 May with 21 stages in the contest for the famous winner’s Pink Jersey – the Maglia Rosa.

Three-time stage winner at the Tour de France, Rui Costa, will seek stage wins for UAE Team Emirates on his debut at the 100th Giro d’Italia. Sprinter and teammate Sacha Modolo will also be looking for stage wins.

Commenting on his debut at the race, UAE Team Emirates’ rider Rui Costa said: "This will be my first participation at the Giro, I’m excited, motivated and looking forward to a competitive debut at the 100th edition of this race. I believe that there are some stages with courses that are suited to my strengths. I’ve recently undergone altitude training on Mount Etna in preparation for the Giro. Of course a victory during my debut in this special edition of the race would be incredible and I will give it everything I have to win some stages this year".

The Giro d'Italia (also known as Corsa Rosa) has been held annually since its first edition in 1909. 2017 marks the 100th edition of the Giro, one of three three-week Grand Tours that include the Tour de France and Vuelta a España. The Giro consists of 21 day-long stages over 23-days including two rest days. While the route changes each year, the format of the race remains the same, with at least two Time Trials, a passage through the mountains of the Alps, including the Dolomites. The race begins in Alghero, Sardinia with a lengthy 203km road race to Olbia that concludes the three week race with a flat 28km Time Trial to Milan.

The team's line-up includes two riders who have clinched stage wins at the Giro d'Italia in previous years: Sacha Modolo, who obtained two stage victories in 2015, and Jan Polanc, winner of the Abetone stage in 2015.

Confirming the line-up, UAE Team Emirates’ Sporting Director Orlando Maini said: “We are proud to be the first team representing the UAE at the Giro. We have tried to strike a balance in selecting the sprinters and climbers for the team. Rui is a top rider and does well in all of the races he takes part in. We’ve had a good run up to the Giro with a strong squad and the preparation has gone well. The average age of the members of team is around 26 with young riders such as Ravasi, Petilli, Conti and Mohoric. We want to get the best performance possible and try to win some stages, if not the race.”

Looking ahead to the 100th Giro UAE Team Emirates’ Italian sprinter Modolo said: "For an Italian rider, the Giro d'Italia is the dream. I'm fortunate to have previously won two stages at the Giro and I cant wait to be able to race there again and hopefully relive the incredible rush I felt when winning. I am hoping to be the leader of my nation’s race and be able to don the Pink Jersey. We have a strong line-up and I am relying on a team effort to put me in a great position for the sprints".

Riding alongside Costa at the 100th edition of the Giro d’Italia from UAE Team Emirates are: Sacha Modolo, Marco Marcato, Matej Mohoric, Valerio Conti, Roberto Ferrari, Simone Petilli, Jan Polanc and Edward Ravasi.

GIRO D’ITALIA STAGES

Stage 1: Alghero – Olbia, 203 km
Stage 2: Olbia – Tortolì, 208 km
Stage 3: Tortolì – Cagliari, 148 km
Stage 4: Cefalù – Etna, 180 km
Stage 5: Pedara – Messina, 157 km
Stage 6: Reggio Calabria – Terme Luigiane, 207 km
Stage 7: Castrovillari – Alberobello, 220 km
Stage 8: Molfetta – Peschici, 189 km
Stage 9: Montenero di Bisaccia – Blockhaus, 139 km
Stage 10: Foligno – Montefalco, 39 km (TT)
Stage 11: Firenze – Bagno di Romagna, 161 km
Stage 12: Forlì – Reggio Emilia, 237 km
Stage 13: Reggio Emilia – Tortona, 162 km
Stage 14: Castellania – Oropa, 131 km
Stage 15: Valdengo – Bergamo, 189 km
Stage 16: Rovetta – Bormio, 227 km
Stage 17: Tirano – Canazei, 219 km
Stage 18: Moena – Ortisei/St. Urlich, 137 km
Stage 19: San Candido/Innichen – Piancavallo, 191 km
Stage 20: Pordenone – Asiago, 190 km
Stage 21: Monza – Milano, 28 km (TT)

HOW GENERAL CLASSIFICATION RESULTS ARE CALCULATED FOR STAGE RACES

All 21 stages of the race are timed and after the riders finish a stage their times are compounded with their preceding stage times. The rider with the lowest collective time is the leader of the race (General Classification leader) and gets to put on the coveted Pink Jersey.

Other classifications include: