News
Road

UAE Team Emirates confirm Aru will ride Giro d'Italia

By Cycling News

published 17 January 2019

Sardinian to follow limited race programme and train in Colorado in April

Comments

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Image 1 of 5

Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images Sport)

Fabio Aru with his UAE Team Emirates teammates(Image credit: PhotoFizza)

Fabio Aru and Marco Marcato(Image credit: PhotoFizza)

Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)

Dan Martin, Fabio Aru and Alexander Kristoff in the 2019 UAE Team Emirates jersey(Image credit: UAE Team Emirates)

UAE Team Emirates have confirmed that Fabio Aru will target the Giro d'Italia in 2019, with his build-up for the corsa rosa including limited racing and a training camp at altitude in Colorado close to the base of the team's new head coach Iñigo San Millan.

Aru: Something was missing all year

Kristoff: I hope UAE want me to win and not just lead out Gaviria

UAE Team Emirates show off 2019 jersey

Aru: 2019 Tour de France route suits me better than Giro d'Italia

Saronni steps back as new UAE Team Emirates medical, coaching staff revealed

Aru had suggested the Tour de France route suited him better but Dan Martin is again expected to lead UAE Team Emirates in France in July, with Fernando Gaviria and Alexander Kristoff targeting the sprints.

Aru struggled during the 2018 season and was unable to fight for the overall classification at the Giro, eventually quitting the race during stage 19. Tests confirmed that he was not suffering with any specific illness but he was unable to get his season back on track at the Vuelta a España.

In recent weeks UAE Team Emirates has undergone a management shake-up, with team manager Giuseppe Saronni stepping back. Allan Peiper and Neil Stephens have been hired as new directeurs sportifs, with Iñigo San Millan leading the new coaching staff and South Africa's Jeroen Swart the new medical director. Former rider Paolo Tiralongo is no longer Aru's coach but remains as a directeur sportif.

"You can imagine my desire to do well during this year's corsa rosa after not being able to enjoy the last edition. I really want to repay the sponsors, fans and organisers who have continued to believe in me in these last months.

"The Giro route offers lots of climbing, balanced with the number of time trial kilometres. We line up at the start physically and technically ready so we can do as well as possible.

Aru will make his 2019 season debut at the Challenge Mallorca series of one-day race at the end of January. He will then ride the Volta ao Algarve (Feb 20-24) and the Volta a Catalunya (March 25-31). He will train at altitude in Colorado in April, with UAE Team Emirates describing the camp as “his final step ahead of the Giro.”