Published February 28, 2022 06:11AM
Giro d'Italia hands wildcards to Alpecin-Fenix and all-Italian trio
Bardiani CSF Faizanè, Savio's Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli crew, and Contador's Eolo-Kometa squad get the call for Giro this spring.
CATTOLICA, ITALY - MAY 12: Umberto Marengo of Italy and Bardiani CSF Faizanè – Pro Team & Filippo Tagliani of Italy and Team Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec on breakaway during the 104th Giro d'Italia 2021, Stage 5 a 177km stage from Modena to Cattolica / Detail view / @girodiitalia / #Giro / on May 12, 2021 in Cattolica, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
The Giro d’Italia confirmed the 22 teams that will line out in Budapest on May 6.
A statement Monday confirmed that all 18 top-tier WorldTour teams would be joined by Alpecin-Fenix, Bardiani CSF Faizanè, Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli, and Eolo-Kometa for this year’s race.
The Alpecin-Fenix team of Mathieu van der Poel, Tim Merlier, and Jasper Philipsen was automatically invited after being the top-ranked ProTeam of 2021.
The decision by second-ranked Arkéa-Samsic to decline its invitation in order to focus on the Tour de France and Vuelta a España meant Giro organizers were afforded room to make three wildcard selections.
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The lucky recipients? The all-Italian trio of Bardiani CSF, Done Hopper, and Eolo-Kometa.
Alberto Contador and Ivan Basso’s Eolo-Kometa squad was the revelation of last year’s Giro, active all race with Lorenzo Fortunato picking up a marquee victory on the Zoncolan.
The long-running Androni crew of Gianni Savio is a staple of the Giro’s early breakaways, as is the purple-liveried Bardiani team.
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“For us, this is the 40th participation in the Giro d’Italia in these 41 years of management,” said Bardiani chief Bruno Reverberi. “As always, we will honor the pink race to the utmost by launching some young Italians who will be ready to face a great Giro and presenting ourselves at the start with a very competitive line-up for our main goal: the stage victories.”
Team selection, 2022 Giro d’Italia:
18 WorldTour teams:
- Ag2r-Citroën
- Astana-Qazaqstan
- Bahrain Victorious
- Bora-Hansgrohe
- Cofidis
- EF Education-EasyPost
- Groupama-FDJ
- Ineos Grenadiers
- Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
- Israel-Premier Tech
- Jumbo-Visma
- Lotto Soudal
- Movistar Team
- Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl
- BikeExchange-Jayco
- Team DSM
- Trek-Segafredo
- UAE Team Emirates
1 qualified by ranking
- Alpecin-Fenix
3 wild card
- Bardiani CSF Faizanè
- Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli
- Eolo-Kometa