Nairo Quintana (Movistar)

Colombian superstar Nairo Quintana returns to the Giro d’Italia for the first time since blowing his rivals away to win the race in 2014.

Having closed out 2016 by winning the Vuelta a Espana, Quintana kickstarts the first part of his Giro-Tour double with five wins to his name already this year.

Stage wins led to overall successes at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and Tirreno-Adriatico, while he also won on the summit finish of the Alto del Acebo in his last race, the Vuelta Asturias.

On the Terminillo, at  Tirreno-Adriatico, he was simply untouchable, riding away from an elite front group to beat British duo Geraint Thomas and Adam Yates to the stage win.

One of the finest Grand Tour riders of this generation, he has improved his all-round qualities too and as such, the long time trial should not hold as much concern for him as perhaps it would have in the past.

On the climbs, meanwhile, on his day he is unparalleled – a Giro-Tour double is a huge ask, but completing the first part of it at least is well within his capabilities.

Giro d’Italia history: winner in 2014, two stage wins
2017 season highlights: Tirreno-Adriatico (one stage win, overall winner), Volta a la Communitat Valenciana (one stage win, overall winner), Vuelta Asturias (one stage win, second overall)

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Geraint Thomas (Team Sky)

Welsh superstar Geraint Thomas leads Team Sky at a Grand Tour for the first time, having become an integral part of Chris Froome’s supporting team in recent years.

And he does so in fine form, having geared up for the Giro by winning the Tour of the Alps, courtesy of a stage win and three further top-five placings throughout the five-stage race.

Prior to that, he had proved his strength at Tirreno-Adriatico, bouncing back from a disastrous opening stage team time trial to win the following day and then finish second on the Terminillo, behind Quintana, as he climbed to fifth overall – a remarkable result, considering he ended day one in 109^th place, more than a minute down on his chief rivals.

Thomas will share the team leadership with Spaniard Mikel Landa, a former podium finisher at the Giro, with Team Sky building their team entirely around a GC bid – so no place for Italian sprinter Elia Viviani.

But with a two-pronged attack more-than capable of getting at least a podium place – and maybe even the first ever British Giro d’Italia win – it’s easy to see why they have committed exclusively to the bid for the maglia rosa.

Giro d’Italia history: not raced since finishing 80^th in 2012
2017 season highlights: Tour of the Alps (stage win, overall winner), Tirreno-Adriatico (stage win, fifth overall)

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Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo)

If you believe in parallel worlds, in another dimension Steven Kruijswijk is going into this year’s Giro d’Italia as defending champion.

In fact, such was his dominant overall position and strong grip on the pink jersey when he crashed into a snowy ditch on a descent on stage 19 last year, this is probably the only dimension in which he failed to win the Giro.

As such, LottoNL-Jumbo’s 29-year-old Dutchman has a point to prove this time out – one of three Dutchmen on the startlist keen to prove they can be serious GC contenders.

Fourth overall last year should not be passed over – it’s just how close he came to winning that makes it seem like a defeat.

But he has proved himself on the Mortirolo in the past; the only man who Alberto Contador could not shake off as the Spaniard delivered a climbing masterclass back in 2015.

A repeat of that, and his impressive form from last year will stand Kruijswijk in good stead. A bit more fortune, and the podium at the very least beckons.

Giro d’Italia history: finished fourth overall last year, having worn the pink jersey for five days
2017 season highlights: Volta a Catalunya (seventh overall), Volta a la Communitat Valenciana (eighth overall)

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Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb)

With five stage wins across all three Grand Tours, Tom Dumoulin has emerged as a serious Grand Tour rider in recent years, and spent six days in the maglia rosa at last year’s Giro d’Italia.

His win on the queen stage of last year’s Tour de France, after a day in the breakaway in Andorra, was a further reminder of how he has changed as a rider, and followed his two stage wins and charge for the red jersey at the previous year’s Vuelta, which only ended on the penultimate day.

The Dutchman will now lead Sunweb at this year’s Giro, with Dutch team-mates Wilco Kelderman and Laurens ten Dam offering strong back-up.

The balanced course, and not least the 40km time trial between Foligno and Montefalco plays right into Dumoulin’s hands – provided he can stay with the big contenders over the biggest climbs.

By winning on the queen stage of the Tour de France, however, he has proved he is capable of that and if he is still in contention overall ahead of the final stage – a 29.3km time trial into Milan – it could make for a very, very interesting final day indeed.

Giro d’Italia history: stage winner last year and wore the leader’s jersey for six days
2017 season highlights: Abu Dhabi Tour (third overall), Strade Bianche (fifth), Tirreno-Adriatico (sixth overall)

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Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo)

Another Dutchman to suffer ill-timed misfortune at a Grand Tour last year, just as he looked to be sealing a podium place, was Bauke Mollema – who dropped from second to tenth on a crash-laden stage 19 at last year’s Tour de France.

Could he mount another GC challenge this time out? He certainly started 2017 in the sort of form that suggested he would: winning the Tour de San Jaun to kickstart the season in perfect style.

It’s all gone gradually quieter and quieter since then, however, and he hasn’t raced at all since a stomach bug curtailed his Volta a Catalunya.

Fourth place overall at the Abu Dhabi Tour was followed by ninth at Tirreno-Adriatico before Catalunya – decent, but not spectacular.

Nevertheless, for 18 days at last year’s Tour de France, Mollema proved he could be a serious Grand Tour contender – and did so on the back of a similarly low-key build-up. All he needs now is to keep it going for just three more days this time out.

Giro d’Italia history: finished 12th overall in 2010 – his only previous Giro d’Italia
2017 season highlights: Tour de San Juan (overall winner), Abu Dhabi Tour (fourth overall), Tirreno-Adriatico (ninth overall)

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