Theo Bos and Mark Renshaw hunting for repeat of Turkish glory; Juanma Garate and Tom-Jelte Slagter on the attack
Rabobank will start the Giro d’Italia this Saturday without a contender for the overall classification, but hopes to achieve glory in individual stages. The Dutch ProTeam took the fifth stage of last year’s race, through rouleur Pieter Weening – who also earned himself a day in the iconic maglia rosa – and is looking for more of the same this time. As well as chasing opportunities though, Rabobank will also look to repeat the success enjoyed by its sprinters in the recent Tour of Turkey.
Former track World champion Theo Bos won the first and last stage, while Mark Renshaw took an emotional ANZAC Day victory, in a photo finish that showed him beating compatriot Matt Goss by three-ten thousandths of a second.
“Our main goal for this Giro is a stage win,” said directeur sportif Jan Boven. “With this line-up, we have to go for stages. We’ve seen it in Turkey, Renshaw is the best man in the leadout for Theo Bos, but he can win sprints himself as well.”
Bos has often struggled in translating his devastating speed on the track to success on the road, but has made visible progress in the last two seasons. The 28-year-old is looking forward to what he hopes will be a successful first Giro; with his only previous Grand Tour appearance coming in the 2010 Vuelta a España, which he abandoned after colliding with a stationary race moto in the final time trial.
“Getting to finish the race with a stage win is just fantastic,” he said. “The last impression always stays with you the most and for the longest time.”
As well as Bos and Renshaw, the team’s Turkish lead out squad of Graeme Brown, Tom Leezer and Dennis van Winden will be lining up at the Giro start. Loyal veteran domestique Grischa Niermann and time trial specialist Stef Clement will add their power to the sprint team, while Juan Manuel Garate and Tom-Jelte Slagter will be free agents, looking for breakaways.
“They are our attackers,” Boven explained. “With the help of Garate, Slagter needs to discover how far his reach is. Both of them will have to pick their days and strike when they can.”
Rabobank team for the Giro d’Italia
Theo Bos, Graeme Brown, Stef Clement, Juan Manuel Garate, Tom Leezer, Grischa Niermann, Mark Renshaw, Tom-Jelte Slagter and Dennis van Winden