The 2016 Giro d'Italia kicks off on
Friday with a 9.8-kilometer individual time trial in Apeldoorn,
the Netherlands.
The time trial is the first of three stages that will be
held in Holland before the cycling's second-biggest race returns
to Italy.
Vincenzo Nibali, the 2013 champion and 2014 Tour de
France winner, is the favourite to prevail in the 99th Giro,
which runs for three weeks.
Bookmakers see Spain's Mikel Landa as his main rival
followed by another Spaniard, 36-year-old Alejandro Valverde,
who is taking part in the Giro for the first time.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
