As expected Astana Pro Team rider Vincenzo Nibali will lead a squad of dedicated climbers and stage race specialists at the 2013 Giro d'Italia.

Nibali, who finished 2nd in the 2011 Giro, will enter the 21-stage race on Saturday in Napoli with eight teammates all focused on the Maglia Rosa on Sunday, May 26 in Brescia.

"We have one goal at the Giro - victory for Vincenzo in his home race. He has won the Vuelta, come third at the Tour, and now he is ready to fight for the pink jersey. That has been our goal since the beginning of the season, and it's in his head and the team is right behind him for victory," said Astana Pro Team General Manager Alexandr Vinokourov in a statement on the Astana website.

Vinokourov said the opponents in the 2013 Giro d'Italia will be equally determined to try for victory, and that each stage will demand full concentration.

"We don't yet really know if Bradley Wiggins (Sky) has the goal of winning the Giro, or if he is using May as a preparation for July. But it is worth remembering that he won the Tour de France last year, and then Olympic Gold, and you can't ignore him," Vinokourov said.

"Michele Scarponi, Ryder Hesjedal, Robert Gesink, these are all riders who don't get lost in the mountains, and have won this race or similar ones before. They are the big three opponents for us this year at the Giro," said Vinokourov.

"The whole team will ride for Vincenzo for General Classification, so a sprinter in our ranks would be excess. We need riders for the mountains, for GC, and we are putting our faith in Vincenzo and the guys for the whole race, from Napoli to Brescia. If the team is going well, and we can get into a breakaway, or push Fabio Aru for the Best Young Rider Jersey, then we will, but those goals are secondary to Pink," Vinokourov said.

Speaking of his team leader, Vinokourov elaborated:

"He's a champion, a star. He has shown at Tirreno-Adriatico and at Giro del Trentino that he is not afraid to go on the attack when he is the strongest, that he has a great sense of self-confidence, and he knows just where and when to make his move. Vincenzo has every chance to win, and the team believes in him just as much as he believes in the team."

Astana Pro Team line-up for Giro d’Italia:

Vincenzo Nibali, Andrey Zeits, Paolo Tiralongo, Valerio Agnoli, Dmitri Gruzdev, Fredrik Kessiakoff, Fabio Aru, Tanel Kangert and Alessandro Vanotti .