Barloworld announces Giro selection

Team Barloworld has announced a list of 11 riders that will make up the British team's roster for this year's Giro d'Italia. The list includes nine riders that will be in the final team and two that will be reserves.

The riders will do a series of training rides on the key stages of the Giro, starting with the Marmolada which they will drive on April 28 before riding Plan de Corones the following day. On May 2-3 the riders will train specifically for the opening team time trial near its headquarters in Adro, northern Italy. The scouting will continue on May 5 when the team rides Passo del Vivone and Monte Pora, ahead of the race start on May 10 in Palermo.

The pre-selected riders for this year's Italian Grand Tour include some big names like Enrico Gasparotto, Robert Hunter and Tour de France mountains classification winner Mauricio Soler. Barloworld is expected to announce its final nine riders for the event from the 11 selected in the following days.

Barloworld's Giro d'Italia selection: Mauricio Soler, Enrico Gasparotto, Patrick Calcagni, Félix Cárdenas, Robert Hunter, Carlo Scognamiglio, John Lee Augustyn, Francesco Bellotti, Christian Pfannberger, Stephen Cummings and Geraint Thomas.