Polti Visit Malta count on sprinter Lonardi at the Giro — and bring Malta's first ever Grand Tour rider

The Giro squad announcements are flying out on Monday morning, and ambitious procontinental team Polti Visit Malta are not to be left out. Alongside sprinter Giovanni Lonardi, the Italian team is counting on a group of experienced attackers — and one Maltese debutant.

Polti Visit Malta will start their sixth consecutive Giro d'Italia on Friday. The team has already won stages in 2021 and 2023 and is targeting another this year. That will normally need to come from the breakaway — though they do have experienced sprinter Lonardi in their ranks.

The team won recently at the Giro dell'Appennino, where young rider Ludovico Crescioli won just ahead of older teammate Thomas Pesenti. Both are in this year's Giro d'Italia squad and will be dreaming of a repeat one-two. Alongside them: experienced breakaway riders Alessandro Tonelli, Mirco Maestri and Diego Sevilla. Mattia Bais is also back, though he will be riding without his brother Davide this time. Andrea Mifsud completes the selection — making his own debut, but also becoming the first Maltese rider to start a Grand Tour.

The days when every procontinental team was simply chasing TV time in early breakaways seem largely behind us — though the team will still be found in the front group on plenty of days. After their Giro dell'Appennino win, Polti Visit Malta are in good form and hope to convert that into a stage win on home soil.

Sports director Giovanni Ellena is looking forward to the most important race of the year for his team. "Whether it is a mass sprint, a late attack or an early breakaway, we must race aggressively and be ready to seize every opportunity." Ellena also highlights the experience within the squad. "Men like Bais and Tonelli know how to handle a Grand Tour — but we also have three debutants in our midst."