RCS Sport has awarded four wildcard invitations for the 2017 Giro d’Italia. Bardiani-CSF, Wilier-Selle Italia, CCC Sprandi Polkowice and Gazprom-Rusvelo are the pro-continental teams invited to the Corsa Rosa.
Only two Italian teams were given the nod, leaving Nippo – Vini Fantini and Androni – Sidermec off.
“It’s a big honour for us that we got invited to the 100th edition of this legendary race. The organizers of the event, RCS Sport, have recognized our team on few other occasions in the past, granting us a wild card invitations to some other big races, such as Il Lombardia, Milan-Sanremo, Tirreno-Adriatico, Strade Bianche, Abu Dhabi Tour or Dubai Tour. We are extremely happy, that we didn’t disappoint and that RCS Sport wants to see our orange colors in their races again and again,” Piotr Wadecki, sporting director of CCC Sprandi said.
The 2017 Giro d’Italia starts on Friday 5th May, kicking off in Alghero, Sardinia. The race bucks the trend of a final day processional sprint stage with a 28km individual time trial into Milan.
In addition to announcing the Giro wildcards, RCS Sport picked Pro Continental teams for Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico, and Milano-Sanremo.
Strade Bianche (March 4)
Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
Bardiani CSF
Nippo – Vini Fantini
Tirreno-Adriatico (March 8-14)
Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
Bardiani CSF
Nippo – Vini Fantini
Novo Nordisk
Milano-Sanremo (March 18)
Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec
Bardiani CSF
Cofidis
Gazprom – Rusvelo
Nippo – Vini Fantini
Novo Nordisk
Wilier Triestina
