Chris Froome will lead Team Sky in the Giro d’Italia despite the ongoing investigation into his adverse doping test.
Froome will try to become the third man to win three successive Grand Tours, after claiming the 2017 Tour and Vuelta a Espana titles. Eddy Merckx won four on the trot in 1972-73, while Bernard Hinault claimed three in 1982-83.
The four-time Tour de France winner has not ridden in the Giro since 2010. His eight-rider supporting cast includes Vasil Kiryienka, Christian Knees, Sergio Henao, Philip Deignan, Wout Poels, David de la Cruz and Salvatore Puccio.
“The Giro is a whole new challenge for me and a new motivation for me too,” Froome said after finishing fourth at the Tour of the Alps last week.
“It’s a huge challenge to target the Giro d’Italia after winning the Tour and Vuelta last year and it’s a huge motivation for me to go for my third consecutive Grand Tour win.”
Froome announced his intention to ride the Giro in November before his adverse drugs test was made public. RCS was unaware of the issue and race director Mauro Vegni called on the UCI to “sort out” the case before the start of the Giro.
Vegni subsequently said Froome is “welcome” at the race and said he will “always” consider the Briton the winner should he claim overall victory, even if he is later suspended and stripped of the result.
