With the first Gran Tour of the year, the Giro d’Italia, fast approaching, the main favourite for overall victory, Sir Bradley Wiggins of Team Sky, has spoken to Italian daily Il Mattino about his expectations for the race, his past experiences, his main adversaries etc.

“This year’s Giro will be a great personal experience for me,” Wiggins told the Italian newspaper. Ten years ago, at my maiden Giro, I had to leave the race as I failed to complete a mountain stage inside the time limit. That disappointing experience helped me understand the level of sacrifice necessary for a track rider like me to transform into a potential winner of a three-week stage race. Winning the Giro would be like conquering something that seemed unconquerable in the past.”

Asked to identify the key moments in a mountainous edition of la Corsa Rosa, Wiggins, rather predictably, pointed to the individual time trials and some of the steep climbs on offer on this year’s Giro.

“Obviously I have to try and gain some time over my main rivals on the time trials. The stage 8 [May 11] 55.5 km time trial from Gabicce Mare to Saltara is a stage tailor made for me to try and make a difference. In addition, the mountain time trial on Stage 18 [on May 23] to Polsa offers another opportunity for a rider like me as the climb can be negotiated at a regular pace without too many sudden bursts of speed. Evidently, the climbs, from Val Martello to Tre Cime di Lavaredo, will all be significant. Personally, I will have to defend against the attacks of better climbers than myself.”

Speaking about his rivals Wiggins had little doubts as to the sources of danger.

“Of course Nibali (Astana) will represent a clear and present danger. Last year he posed a great threat at the Tour de France and this year he won magnificently at the Tour del Trentino. Next in line are [defending Giro winner] Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) and Scarponi (Lampre-Merida).”

“However, with this Sky squad I can look forward to the Giro with absolute confidence. Henao, Uran and Siutsou will offer unsurpassed assistance on the climbs. Cataldo, Knees and Pate will more than hold their own on the flats while Puccio and Zandio are reliable riders in all sorts of terrain.”

Looking beyond the Giro Wiggins also gave an outline for the remainder of the 2013 season.  

“I have already explicitly said that the Giro-Tour fascinates me, at least on paper. And I would also like to dispute the Vuelta a España, without ambitions for the general classification, just to prepare for the world time trial championship in Florence.”