Sacha Modolo has once again had a successful Tour of Turkey and will seek to be in great shape ahead of the Giro d’Italia. He knows he is up against great sprinters like Kittel, Greipel, Ewan and Demare, but he believes in himself.

“I don’t feel inferior to them as a sprinter," the 28-year-old told Cyclingnews. “But I may not have a team of the same level as theirs. We’ve lost Richeze [who joined Etixx-Quick Step] and I’ll only have Ferrari to lead me out. In the very flat stage finishes, it might be difficult for us to compete against the best trains but the Giro offers diverse courses and it’s a nervous race so I hope to get the results I’m looking for in the sprinters’ stages that are a bit harder.”

Modolo says that Italy is the best sprint nation in the world just now, and lamented the lack of lead out train he has at Lampre-Merida, as well as his compatriots Elia Viviani (Sky), Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo), Andrea Guardini (Astana), Matteo Pelucchi (IAM Cycling), Jakub Mareczko (Southeast) and Kristian Sbaragli (Dimension Data).

“As sprinters, we are the best cycling nation, in my opinion," he stated. “Viviani is among the best, there’s Nizzolo, too, and I consider myself one of the best, but unlike other foreign sprinters, no one invests in a train for us. It would be worth it, I think.”