Bauke Mollema will lead Trek-Segafredo at the upcoming Giro d'Italia, and will be supported by former stage winners Gianluca Brambilla and Giulio Ciccone, with Australia's Will Clarke and veteran Markel Irizar named as the team's 'workhorses'.
Mollema starts the 2019 race trying to better his seventh place from the 2017 Giro, which was the last time he rode the Italian Grand Tour, having also ridden it in 2010, when he finished 12th.
"I'm looking forward to my third Giro," the Dutch climber said on his team's website. "My preparations have gone well, and I'm confident that I have a strong team around me to help me and push me to my highest level."
The squad also contains two former Giro stage winners in Gianluca Brambilla and Giulio Ciccone, both of whom won stages at the 2016 race, racing at the time for Etixx-QuickStep and Bardiani-CSF, respectively.
While the two Italians may get the opportunity to try for stage wins again, along with compatriot Nicola Conci and Austrian Michael Gogl, their main roles will be to help Mollema in the GC.
"The goals are top five on the GC with Bauke, and secondly to win a stage, either with Bauke or the others," explained Trek-Segafredo directeur sportif Kim Andersen. "Between Gianluca, Giulio, Nicola, and Michael, they can all have the chance to go for a stage win, even when they're protecting Bauke. Whatever we do, we'll try hard, and try to be visible at this Giro."
Markel Irizar and Will Clarke will be charged with doing the team's 'heavy lifting' on the flatter stages, riding at the front of the bunch when needed.
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"Markel and Will need to be ready to do the main, hard work, watch over Bauke and keep the team together and motivated," confirmed sports director Adrian Baffi. "They're both 100 per cent team players. They're the glue of the team."
Meanwhile, 22-year-old Matteo Moschetti will be the team's lone sprinter, and, without a dedicated sprint train, will be given a free role at sprint finishes to do what he can at what will be his first three-week race.
"It's the first Grand Tour for Matteo, and he won't have a sprint team to help him," added Baffi. "That means it's more difficult to get a result, but, on the other hand, he has less pressure on him. Of course, like all sprinters, he still wants to win. It'll be difficult, but after what he's shown us so far, and if he finds himself in a good position, why not?"
Trek-Segafredo for the 2019 Giro d'Italia: Gianluca Brambilla, Giulio Ciccone, Will Clarke, Nicola Conci, Michael Gogl, Markel Irizar, Bauke Mollema, Matteo Moschetti
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