A look at the GC favourites and outsiders for the 2023 Giro

The 6th of May 2023 marks the start of one of the biggest races on the international cycling calendar: the Giro d'Italia.

With 2022 winner Jay Hindley not competing, the game is on for the other GC riders in this year's edition.

But who are the favourites and the outsiders to take the win in Rome? Read on and prepare yourself for La Corsa Rosa.

In this year's edition, there are only two big favourites: Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič. Let's have a deeper look at the Belgian's and Slovenian's chances and performances so far this year.

Remco Evenepoel has been preparing himself meticulously with an altitude training camp on the Teide (Tenerife). The Soudal Quick-Step rider is aiming to win his second grand tour this year, after last year's Vuelta triumph.

In that Vuelta, Evenepoel put on an impressive display, putting 48 seconds into Primož Roglič in the time trial and holding on to his red jersey in the mountain stages. Evenepoel went on to win the race, after Roglič was forced to withdraw after a crash. Spanish riders Enric Mas and Juan Ayuso completed the podium.

In 2023, Evenepoel competed at the Vuelta a San Juan Internacional (Argentina), the UAE Tour and the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, taking 7th, 1st and 2nd place respectively in the GC. In Catalonia, he was beaten by Roglič with a mere six seconds, which show the two riders are ready to go head-to-head in the Giro. In Liège-Bastogne-Liège, however, Evenepoel took the win after impressing on the Côte de La Redoute.

The other big favourite for this year's Giro, Primož Roglič, competed at Tirreno-Adriatico and the Volta a Ciclista a Catalunya, winning the GC in both races.

The Slovenian looks ready to give it his best in the Giro and take revenge for last year's Vuelta, a race he already managed to win three times in the past.

Apart from the two big favourites, there are also a couple of 'outsiders' looking to perform well in the GC in Italy.

Geraint Thomas is one of them. The INEOS cyclist prepared himself for the Giro in the Tour of the Alps, where he helped Tao Geoghegan Hart triumph in the GC.

Thomas knows what it is to win a grand tour, after he took home the 2018 Tour de France. Can he surprise Evenepoel and Roglič and take the win in La Corsa Rosa?

Impressing in the 2023 Tour of the Alps by taking two stage wins and the GC, Tao Geoghegan Hart (INEOS) is looking ready for the 2023 Giro.

Geoghegan Hart is aiming to repeat his 2020 Giro win, when he got the better of Jai Hindley and Wilco Kelderman in the GC.

Another INEOS cyclist, Dutchman Thymen Arensman seems to go to the Giro as a domestique for Thomas and Geoghegan Hart, rather than a GC contender himself.

A big talent, the former Team DSM rider is looking to make an impact in the GC, as he did in the 2022 Vuelta, finishing 6th overall and winning the Queen's stage.

Riding for BORA-hansgrohe, the name of Aleksandr Vlasov featured in many list of favourites for the 2023 Giro.

A disappointing result in the 2023 Tour of the Alps might have changed that. The Russian did not finish the race due to illness and wanted to prepare properly for Liège-Bastogne-Liège, in which he finished 46th.

Teammate Lennard Kämna, too, is hoping for a good result in Italy.

The German impressed in the Tour of the Alps by taking stage 3 and finishing 6th in the GC. In Tirreno-Adriatico he finished 4th in the GC.

Performing well in Tirreno-Adriatico and the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, João Almeida seems a force to be reckoned with in La Corsa Rosa.

The UAE rider will get the support of some strong teammates, such as Jay Vine and Alessandro Covi.

Vine himself is looking to perform well in the Giro. The Australian won the GC win in this year's Santos Tour Down Under, after bagging the Australian national time trial title as well.

Vine's speciality, however, is still climbing, something he proved in the 2022 Vuelta by winning two mountain stages.

Who will take the win in the 2023 Giro? In normal circumstances, Evenepoel and Roglič seem to be the strongest riders amongst this year's participants, but external factors can turn a race upside down in a split second.

Or will someone else take us by surprise in Italy? It would not be the first time a dark horse turns the Giro upside down by taking the win.