Tinkoff-Saxo have selected a young Giro d'Italia roster that will be fully focused on delivering its two captains Nicolas Roche and Rafal Majka to a top 5 finish when the Italian grand tour comes to a close in Trieste. The pair will be supported by Michael Rogers who lines up for his first grand tour after coming back from his provisional suspension while young rider Pawel Poljanski, Jay McCarthy and Christopher Juul-Jensen will all be making their debut in a three-week race.

Friday the 9th of May, this year’s first Grand Tour, Giro d’Italia is launched with the toughest discipline in the world of cycling – a team time trial. 21.7 kilometers of pure acid-burning pain to get things started in Belfast. Then another two stages in Belfast and Dublin before the entire peloton is transported to the homeland of the Giro.

In Italy, two individual time trials, 8 sprinter stages and no less than 9 stages with uphill finishes await the riders, caravan and spectators. No matter if you're racing, a fan or spectator on the road, it’s going to be a spectacular 2014 Giro d’Italia.

Tinkoff-Saxo will be on the start ramp with two captains, Rafal Majka and Nicolas Roche:
 
”Our main goal is to make a GC result  with either Rafa or Nico,” says Tinkoff-Saxo DS, Lars Michaelsen. "Our secondary goal is to win a stage in case an opportunity occurs. All way through the race, we will focus on supporting our leaders in order to make a Top-5 GC result.

"With Michael (Rogers) back in the group, we have a strong and experienced road captain, which is crucial during both the first chaotic stages as well as in the long run to keep focused. Going into the 3rd week of the race, we will face five very important mountain stages, where the GC will be battled out and we’ll see who has more fuel left in the tank."
 
Irishman and home favorite, Nicolas Roche says:
 
“I have been through a very hard altitude training camp with the team for the Giro and we just finished Tour de Romandie to brush off our shape. I feel ready and naturally, I’m extremely motivated to do the Giro on home soil.

"The home ground launch is the bonus to me. I can’t wait to get a feel of the buzz that the Giro has created in Ireland over the last few months. It’s a huge deal for the Irish fans, Irish cycling and it’s a huge deal for me,."
 
The Tinkoff-Saxo line-up: 

Rafal Majka, Nicolas Roche, Michael Rogers, Chris Anker Sørensen, Pawel Poljanski, Evgeny Petrov, Ivan Rovny, Jay McCarthy and Christopher Juul-Jensen.