2018 Tirreno-Adriatico preview

Chris Froome headlines his first WorldTour race since it was reported he had returned an adverse analytical finding during the 2017 Vuelta a Espana as the world's best climbers prepare for the Giro d'Italia at the 53rd Tirreno-Adriatico.

While this season's Paris-Nice has attracted the B-list of general classification riders, Tirreno-Adriatico is the preferred goal for those seeking general classification glory at this year's Giro d'Italia. 

While some outsiders for the Italy's Grand Tour have chosen the 'Race to the Sun' - Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin) and Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-Scott) for example - the 'Race of the Two Seas' has certainly brought with it a stronger start list of contenders.

The Contenders

Movistar's Nairo Quintana won the golden trident at the 2017 Tirreno-Adriatico but isn't riding in 2018
Photo credit: direttacyclismo.it

This is going to be a very long list, perhaps only second to a list of contenders for a Grand Tour; Chris Froome (Team Sky), Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain Merida), Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates), Romain Bardet (AG2R), Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb), Mikel Landa (Movistar), Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale), Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) and Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana).

If that list wasn't long enough, there are a few more outsiders, and given the usual amount of time trialing in this race, one of them could well win it; Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors), Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb), Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo).

The Sprinters

The field of sprinters is stellar, but given there're only two flat finishes, the competition for the stages with difficult finishes among the more classics-style sprinters is going to be fierce. 

Peter Sagan battles Thibaut Pinot to win the uphill finish of stage five last year
Photo credit: bbc.co.uk

Three time and current World champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) is the obvious stand out name as the most versatile, and is joined in competition by Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb), Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Merida), Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors), Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott), Marcel Kittel (Katusha-Alpecin), Mark Cavendish and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data), Sasha Modolo (EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale), Daniele Bennati (Movistar) and Simone Consonni (UAE Team Emirates). 

The Route

As is the tradition of Tirreno-Adriatico, the seven stages are bookmarked by pan flat time trials on stage one and stage seven. The first of which is a 21.5km team time trial along the coast at Lido di Camaiore, and the second a 10km individual time trial at San Benedetto del Tronto.

Stage two looks a formality for the powerful sprinters - 167km  from Camaiore to Follonica. There are King of the Mountains points available but they come inside the opening 5km so won't cause an issue for the inevitable bunch sprint.

Sagan and Matthews will have their eyes on stage three. The stage is on the lumpy side which suits them and the finish into Trevi is a very short categorised climb.

Stage four provides the first grand general classification battle, with a long 219km race capped off with a category one ascent to the ski resort Sarnano Sassotetto in the Apennines. 

Stage six looks another one for the likes of Sagan and Matthews. Again it's a lumpy one and the finish is a double kicker, with two steep kicks in the last 8km into Filottrano.

Prediction

1. Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb)

2. Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain Merida)

3. Chris Froome (Team Sky)

4. Romain Bardet (AG2R)

5. Mikel Landa (Movistar)

6. Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)

7. Primoz Roglic (LottoNL-Jumbo)

8. Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb)

9. Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale)

10. Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates)