Keeping with tradition, Bardiani-CSF will go into the Giro d'Italia with an all-Italian team that has an average age of just 25.4 years.

The team will line up with a versatile roster that is able to shine in every terrain and without a focus on the GC, they will aim at repeating last year's huge success that saw them win three stages with Stefano Pirazzi, Enrico Battaglin and Marco Canola. It might even have been a fourth win on the penultimate day if a stupid fan hadn't taken out Manuel Bongiorno out when he found himself alone with later winner Michael Rogers on the Monte Zoncolan.

Bongiorno, Pirazzi and Battaglin will all be back and will be joined by Edoardo Zardini who has won big mountain stages in both the Giro del Trentino and Tour of Britain and is regarded as one of the most exciting Italian climbers, to represent the team in the mountains. In addition to stage wins, Pirazzi may be aiming at a repeat of his 2013 feat that saw him win the mountains jersey.

For the lumpy stages that can end in a reduced sprinter, Battaglin will again take his chances alongide Sonny Colbrelli who is trying to find his best condition after a breakthrough 2014 season. Enrico Barbin has similar characteristics and arrives in Italy on the back of a seventh place in the Tour of Turkey.

Pure sprinter Nicola Ruffoni will target the completely flat stages while Nicola Boem will use his usual aggressiveness to go on the attack. Finally, young neo-pro Luca Chirico will be making his grand tour debut and even though the main goal will be to learn, his combination of speed and good climbing legs could see him deliver a surprise.

Bardiani for the Gio d'Italia:

Enrico Barbin, Enrico Battaglin, Nicola Boem, Manuel Bongiorno, Luca Chirico, Sonny Colbrelli, Stefano Pirazzi, Nicola Ruffoni, Edoardo Zardini.