Expectations are running high as the countdown to this year’s Tirreno-Adriatico continues.

Historically, the race has been overshadowed by its French cousin, Paris-Nice, but this year the starting field of the week-long Italian stage race is truly impressive as a cluster of potential Tour de France winners have elected to come to Italy to test their own form and maybe get a sneak preview of how their forthcoming rivals are making progress. Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) has even described this year’s edition as the most exciting and demanding race of the season apart from the three grand tours.

Defending Tirreno-Adriatico winner, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Pro Team), agrees with Contador’s assessment, “As you can see there are riders here like Froome, Alberto and Cadel,” he said at the official pre-race press conference. He also predicted a slugfest, “We’ll ride with lots of enthusiasm and there’ll be war out there!”

As far as his chances of a repeat victory were concerned, Nibali was diplomatically cautious, “I had better form last year because my season was more based around the first part. But I have a good team and we’ll try to ride a good race.”

Nibali will anchor Astana’s efforts in the opening team time trial but may be forced onto the offensive later in the race as his team is not expected to taste victory in today’s TTT. Thus Nibali could himself ignite a “war out there”!