Passing over the candidature of some highly-tipped teams such as MTN Qhubeka, Giro d’Italia organisers RCS Sport have gone for teams with a strong Italian slant in choosing three wildcard places for the race.
The company has selected the Italian Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox squad plus Team Colombia, a team registered in and featuring riders from that South American country, but with an Italian management and base.
Both had been tipped as strong contenders and competed in the race in 2013.
The third choice is also an Italian squad, and will be a controversial one for many; Yellow Fluo has evolved out of the Vini Fantini Selle Italia team, which had two high profile doping cases around the time of the Giro last year.
Danilo di Luca was ejected during the event after it emerged that he had tested positive for EPO in a pre-race test. Then, after the event finished, it was announced that stage fourteen winner Mauro Santambrogio had a positive A test for EPO in a random control taken on the opening day of the race.
In September the Italian media reported that Santambrogio’s B sample had tested negative, meaning that the rider might go unsanctioned.
However in terms of negative publicity, damage was undoubtedly done to the Giro. Despite that – and despite the absence of big names on the team - RCS Sport has opted for that squad rather than choosing one of the foreign outfits pushing for inclusion.
The teams which have lost out include MTN Qhubeka, UnitedHealthcare, Caja Rural, IAM Cycling and Wanty.
They are from South Africa, the United States, Spain, Switzerland and Belgium, respectively.
Commenting in brief on the decision, the Giro organiser has said that it favoured teams connected to Italy.
“As in past years RCS Sport wanted to give such notice, in the month of January, in order to allow all teams to better organize their season,” it stated. “The choices made, especially for the wild cards of the Giro d'Italia, were dictated by the opportunity - at this moment in history - to support the Italian cycling movement, without ever losing sight of the goal of international development.”
In addition to the three wildcards, the Italian-registered Androni Giocattoli Venezuela squad gains automatic access as it won the Italian Cup series last year.
RCS Sport has also allocated wildcards for some of its other events. Bardiani CSF, MTN Qhubeka, IAM Cycling and NetApp Endura will join the WorldTour squads in Tirreno-Adriatico, running between March 12th to 18th, while Androni Giocattoli, Bardiani CSF, IAM Cycling, MTN – Qhubeka, Team Net App – Endura, UnitedHealthcare and Yellow Fluo gain access to Milan-Sanremo.
Seven wildcards will also dispute Il Lombardia on October 5th. They are Androni Giocattoli, Bardiani CSF, Caja Rural - Seguros Rga, Colombia, Cycling IAM, Team Net App - Endura and Yellow Fluo.
RCS Sport wildcard choices:
Giro d’Italia (May 9 – June 1st) 4 wild cards:
Androni Giocattoli (Ita) (Right Acquired Due To Victory In The Italian Cup)
Bardiani CSF (Ita)
Colombia (Col)
Yellow Fluo (Ita)
Tirreno - Adriatico (March 12 to 18) 4 wild cards:
Bardiani CSF (Ita)
MTM - Qhubeka (Rsa)
IAM Cycling (Sui)
Team Net App - Endura (Ger)
Milano - Sanremo (March 23rd) 7 wild cards:
Androni Giocattoli (Ita)
Bardiani CSF (Ita)
IAM Cycling (Sui)
MTN - Qhubeka (Rsa)
Team Net App - Endura (Ger)
Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team (Usa)
Yellow Fluo (Ita)
Il Lombardia (October 5th) 7 wild cards:
Androni Giocattoli (Ita)
Bardiani CSF (Ita)
Caja Rural - Seguros Rga (Esp)
Colombia (Col)
Cycling IAM (Sui)
Team Net App - Endura (Ger)
Yellow Fluo (Ita)