Racing

Giro d’Italia 2015: the contenders – form guide

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

Richie Porte (Team Sky)

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)

Richie Porte (Team Sky)

Richie Porte (Team Sky) has been in supreme form this season, ensuring his first shot at the leadership of Team Sky for a Grand Tour is fully merited.

The Australian has been simply unstoppable, winning overall at Paris-Nice, the Volta a Catalunya and Giro del Trentino. He has also picked up stage wins at the Tour Down Under and Volta ao Algarve, where he topped the mountains classification, and regained his Australian national time trial title.

Porte’s TT pedigree will stand him in good stead on the Giro’s 59.2km test on stage 14, but the biggest question is whether he can transform his week-long stage race form into a serious challenge over the three weeks of a Grand Tour.

Last year’s Tour de France saw him suffer from illness when placed second overall, while during the previous year’s race Team Sky’s hopes of a second consecutive overall one-two were obliterated when Porte haemorrhaged time just days after moving second overall behind Chris Froome.

Now, however, he will be the protected man with mountain men Leopold Konig and Mikel Nieve at his service as super domestiques.

On form alone, Porte is the man to beat – the big question is whether he can rise to the biggest occasion of his career to date.

Team Sky squad: PORTE, Leopold Konig, Mikel Nieve, Bernie Eisel, Vasil Kiryienka, Kanstantin Siutsou, Salvatore Puccio, Sebastian Henao, Elia Viviani.

Form guide

Best Giro d’Italia finish: Seventh (2010)
Season highlights: Tour Down Under – stage win, second overall; Volta ao Algarve – stage win, fourth overall, King of the Mountains; Paris-Nice – two stage wins, overall winner; Volta a Catalunya – winner; Giro del Trentino – stage win, overall winner
UCI WorldTour ranking: Second