Rui Costa heads-up a strong nine-man team for the first Grand Tour of the season

United Arab Emirates. Thursday, 28 April 2017: UAE Team Emirates’ today unveiled the line-up of the nine riders that will take part in the 100th Giro d’Italia at a special event at the new team headquarters in Magnago, Milan. 

Spearheading the team will be Portuguese rider and winner of this year’s Abu Dhabi Tour, Rui Costa. Three-time stage winner at the Tour de France, Rui Costa, will be seeking stage wins for UAE Team Emirates on his debut at the 100th Giro d’Italia. Costa has had good luck racing in Italy, winning his World Championship title in 2013 in Florence. Sprinter Sacha Modolo and Climber Darwin Atapuma will also be looking for stage wins.
Starting in Naples, the first Grand Tour of the season takes place from Friday 5 to Sunday 28 May with 21 stages in the contest for the famous winner’s Pink Jersey – the Maglia Rosa. The UAE Team Emirates’ line-up for the 100th edition of the race will be:

•    Rui Costa
•    Sacha Modolo
•    Valerio Conti
•    Roberto Ferrari
•    Marco Marcato
•    Matej Mohoric
•    Simone Petilli
•    Jan Polanc
•    Edward Ravasi

Commenting on his debut at the race, UAE Team Emirates’ rider Rui Costa said: 'This will be my first participation at the Giro, I  am excited and motivated and looking forward to a competitive debut at the 100th edition of this race. I believe that there are some stages with courses that are suited to my strengths. Of course a victory on my debut in this special edition of the race would be incredible and I will give it everything I have to win some stages this year'.

Confirming the line-up, UAE Team Emirates’ Sporting Director Orlando Maini said: “We’ve had a good run up to the Giro with a strong squad and the preparation has gone well. We want to get the best performance possible and try to win some stages, if not the race. We’ve got some really great bikes and a very strong squad.”

Directed by Orlando Maini and Marco Marzano, the team's line-up includes two riders who have clinched stage wins at the Giro d'Italia in previous years: Sacha Modolo, who obtained two stage victories in 2015, and Jan Polanc, winner of the Abetone stage in 2015.

Looking ahead to the 100th Giro UAE Team Emirates’ Italian sprinter Modolo said: 'For an Italian rider, the Giro d'Italia is the dream. The Giro  is the biggest and most popular race in Italy - even those who don’t follow cycling that much in Italy follow this race. I'm fortunate to have previously won two stages at the Giro and I cant wait to be able to race there again and hopefully relive the incredible rush I felt when winning them. We have a strong line-up and I am relying on our team effort and a group of special riders to put me in a great position for the sprints'.