Uno-X name their Giro d'Italia squad: stage wins the goal, Kulset eyeing the GC

Nine days before the Giro d'Italia gets underway in Bulgaria, Uno-X have already named their squad. The Norwegian team are making their Giro debut and have set their sights on a stage win, with Johannes Kulset also given licence to target a strong general classification result, the team announced on their website.

Uno-X were the first team to release their official selection on Wednesday morning. Kulset and Erlend Blikra are the two focal points: Kulset for the GC, while Blikra will go head-to-head with the likes of Jonathan Milan and Paul Magnier in the sprint stages.

Director sportif Emil Vinjebo is clear about the team's objectives. "We want to win a stage, but if that doesn't happen and we still get good results, I'll be satisfied. We also have Johannes for a potential top ten in the classification — but to be clear: a stage win is the goal, and that is what makes it a success or not."

The team — competing as a WorldTour squad for the first time this season — are transparent about the roles within their selection. Ådne Holter and Martin Tjøtta will primarily support classification man Kulset, while Sakarias Koller Løland — capable of sprinting himself in a reduced bunch — and Markus Hoelgaard will play key roles in Blikra's sprint train. The experienced Hoelgaard will also serve as road captain.

Norwegian champion Andreas Leknessund and Fredrik Dversnes Lavik will look for opportunities in breakaways and chase stage wins from there. Within the team, though, everyone will get their moment. The aim is to race aggressively and opportunistically as a collective.

Vinjebo has strong confidence in his Giro squad. "Kulset is ready — physically and mentally. Where he finishes in the classification is not the most important thing, but he needs to learn to fight for every second over three weeks. It's a new situation for him, but I believe in him."

That said, Vinjebo is emphatic: a stage win remains the primary objective. "If you ask me how we're going to win that stage, it will be on a day when the breakaway fights for the victory. Ideally we have more than one rider in that group — otherwise we still have Erlend for the sprint."

Stages 5, 11 and 18 are already circled in red for the Norwegian team. "Stage five should be a long day for the breakaway, while stage eleven has an enormous amount of climbing. Stage eighteen is deep in the third week and looks like a one-day race." There will also be sprint opportunities for Blikra throughout.

"It is a strong sprinters' field, but we believe he has the speed to compete for the win." The sprint stages are not Blikra's only target, though — the team are hoping to keep him in contention all the way to Rome. "Generally, this Giro is not extremely difficult, but in stages fourteen and nineteen Erlend will have to fight. We will support him as best we can."

If Blikra is no longer in the peloton by the latter stages, Løland is available to take over sprint duties. "We race to win. We may not have the fastest sprinter or the best GC man, but we have a very strong collective. I promise that the Giro will be a race our fans can look forward to," Vinjebo concluded.