Cycling: BMC's Giro Hopes Riding On Van Garderen

Zeeshan Mehtab Published April 28, 2017 | 05:05 PM

PARIS, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Apr, 2017 ) - American all-rounder Tejay Van Garderen and powerful Australian Rohan Dennis will lead BMC's efforts for a podium place at the 2017 Giro d'Italia, the US racing team confirmed on Friday.

It will be a tenth major Tour for Van Garderen -- fifth in the Tour de France in 2012 and 2014 -- and who is backed up by a healthy mix of youth and experience. "The Giro d'Italia is a race I've never done before and it was a race I had been asking to do for a while.

It is a good opportunity for me to lead the team in a different Grand Tour," the 28-year-old said. "The route suits me well. There is a good number of time trialling kilometres and a good number of mountain stages.

It is a very balanced Grand Tour. It's hard, certainly, but I like the route," said Van Garderen, who can defend himself in the mountains and who is strong on time trialling. "I am hitting good form at the right time.

Now it's about fine tuning the big load of work that I have done since December, with my final race at the Tour de Romandie." Dennis has been honing his skills in the Tour of the Alps and also makes his Giro debut. "I have a lot to learn and I have to start somewhere where there are a lot more opportunities to get a result," said the 26-year-old former world one-hour record holder.