“I would like to see how far I can reach in the general classification. That’s what I want to focus on”, Bennett says. “There is a strong field of participants at the start. I think there are two or three absolute favourites for the overall victory. Shortly afterwards, a list of outsiders with perhaps ten to fifteen names follows. I put myself in between”, the 31-year-old rider says.

The New Zealander is curious about his race form. “I haven’t had a lot of racing days in the legs yet this season. After the national championships in my home country, I rode fully in service of Primoz Roglic in Paris-Nice. Then I had to abandon the Volta a Catalunya after three days. The question is how I stand in relation to the competition. We will see that in the coming weeks. The only thing I can control is the fact that I will appear at the start here in the best possible form. In my opinion, we succeeded.”

Four mountain stages
The 104th edition of the Giro d’Italia begins Saturday with a time trial of over eight kilometres in Turin. The general classification riders will have to show themselves and keep their nerves from the start. In the first week already four mountain stages await, including three arrivals uphill. “I will have to be sharp right away. I did everything I could to start in good shape. I hope I end up in a good flow. And hopefully it will last three weeks.”

Mythical Monte Zoncolan
The highlights in the second week are the eleventh stage on a course that shows many similarities with Strade Bianche and the fourteenth stage with the climb of the mythical Monte Zoncolan. By that time the proportions in the classification will be very clear.

Sports director Arthur van Dongen knows the strategy for this Tour of Italy. “We will have to be sharp from day one. The team will constantly have to ride in service of George. If everything goes according to plan, Dylan can sprint for victory in the flat stages. In the first week we have to be on our guard. You can’t win the race here, but you can lose it. The second week has some important moments with the Strade stage and the stage to Monte Zoncolan. This is where serious differences will emerge.”

Honour
The final week is traditionally tough with four mountain stages and the final time trial in Milan. Bennett: “It’s an honour to me to be the leader here in Italy. I don’t feel any extra pressure myself. I don’t think it will be my last chance right away if I don’t reach my goal. I will do my best every day and ride as fast as possible to the finish. After the next three weeks we will see if that is enough to achieve the predetermined goals.”