Among the debutants at the Giro d'Italia is Tom Pidcock, who will race on the roads of the pink race for the first time. The British rider has received the freedom to race as he pleases from his Q36.5 Pro Cycling team and, surprisingly, has said he has no ambitions for the general classification, although he might have a thought for the first stage. Backed by three top 10 finishes in the Ardennes, highlighted by a podium at Flèche Wallonne, Pidcock starts from Albania with great confidence.

"I felt like I was improving in every race: after Milano-Sanremo, to be honest, I had lost a bit of rhythm, but then I managed to find it again and now I can't wait to race".

As already mentioned, this is Pidcock's first experience at the Giro d'Italia and so far, the British rider is not experiencing the same sensations as when he was about to race the Tour de France. "It doesn't feel like a Grand Tour yet, perhaps because we're in Albania, which doesn't have such a rich cycling history like other countries with a more ancient tradition. But honestly, I'm happy to be here because I'm in a place I had never seen before. This is one of the great advantages of this job: traveling to new places. I've worked hard away from the spotlight for the last week and a half, a bit isolated from everything. I haven't yet had the usual feeling of being at a Grand Tour".

Regarding his objectives, Pidcock is very clear: he is here to win stages, not the general classification. "My goal is to win. Race hard every day, be at the front with the best and have fun. But no, I'm not interested in the general classification".

So, contrary to what might have been imagined, Pidcock has clarified his role in the pink race and is not even interested in wearing the first pink jersey. "Realistically? No, I don't think so. It's the first stage of a Grand Tour, so we can expect a tough day. But we'll see what happens. Am I lucid enough to win the Giro? That was never the intention. We're here to win as many stages as possible".