A former Tirreno-Adriatico winner, in 2009, Michele Scarponi has yet to pull up any trees since switching to Astana in the winter but a steady start to the season at the Tour de San Luis and Volta ao Algarve will stand him in good stead for a busy few months to come. Upon signing the Italian, 34, Astana stated he would lead the team at the Giro before taking on a road captain’s role for Vincenzo Nibali at the Giro.
Consecutive fourth places since winning the Giro in 2011, show Scarponi is still capable of being a contender in his home country, and success at Tirreno-Adriatico could prove the perfect means of showing it. Though Nibali’s participation at Paris-Nice means the Kazakh teams’ resources are split, Scarponi can count on the backing of Tanel Kangert, while Janez Brajkovic, one of only two team-mates of Nibali’s to complete last year’s race also returns.
