Racing

Giro d’Italia 2015: the contenders – form guide

Which of the maglia rosa contenders are in the best form?

Corsa Rosa

Nairo Quintana (Movistar) won the Giro d'Italia in 2014 but won't defend his title (Pic: Sirotti)
Tinkoff-Saxo's Alberto Contador is the pre-race favourite (Pic: Sirotti)
Richie Porte continued his superb start to the season at the Giro del Trentino (Pic: Sirotti)
Fabio Aru announced himself with victory on the Montecampione last year (pic: Sirotti)
Rigoberto Uran will join Pierre Rolland in spear-heading Cannondale-Garmin's new GC line-up (Pic: Sirotti)
Domenico Pozzovivo has been in good form, but needs to turn top-five finishes into podiums (Pic: Sirotti)
Damiano Caruso proved his Grand Tour pedigree last year, but BMC Racing's top-five target may be a bit too ambitious (Pic: Sirotti)
Ryder Hesjedal celebrates his 2012 triumph on the podium (pic: Sirotti)

Corsa Rosa

The season’s first Grand Tour, the Giro d’Italia, gets underway this weekend with a stellar cast set to line-up in San Lorenzo Al Mare.

Defending champion Nairo Quintana (Movistar) is not riding this year’s Corsa Rosa, opting for the Tour de France instead, and in his place a battle between Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) and in-form Richie Porte (Team Sky) is eagerly anticipated.

For Contador, it would be the first part of an ambitiously targeted Giro-Tour double, while Porte will be looking to seize his chance having been handed leadership of Team Sky at a Grand Tour.

Behind Quintana, last year’s podium also included back-to-back runner-up Rigoberto Uran (Etixx-QuickStep) and rising Italian star Fabio Aru (Astana), and both return to the race, bidding to reach the top step this time out.

Having had the first half of the season to prepare for their challenge for the Giro title, which of the candidates are in the best form? We’ve picked out the leading men and the riders coming up on the rails with a late charge.

Who do you think will win the 98th Giro d’Italia? Let us know your predictions below.