After just two races in to 2016, fans cried out for a showdown between Caleb Ewan (Orica-GreenEdge), Fernando Gaviria (Etixx-Quickstep) and Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data). At Tirreno-Adriatico, the race of the two seas, they'll have it.
Watch out for the sprint fireworks on stages 3 and 6 and for other fast men Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), Elia Viviani (Sky) Sasha Modolo (Lampe-Merida), and Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) all in with a chance.
Sagan of course can also win the stages in Pomarance (stage 2) and Foligno (stage 4), perfect for all rounders also provisionally announced such as Greg Van Avermaet (BMC), Michał Kwiatkowski (Sky), Fabian Cancellara (Trek-Segafredo), Taylor Phinney (BMC), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) and Daniel Martin (Etixx-Quickstep).
Cancellara and Phinney will enjoy facing off against time-trial specialist Tony Martin (Etixx-Quickstep) in the opening team time-trial near the Tyrrhenian Sea, and, the closing ITT stage.
The men hoping to hold the ever comical trident trophy aloft at the Adriatic will include Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Tejay van Garderen (BMC), Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEdge), Rigoberto Uran (Cannondale), Mikel Landa (Sky) and Joaquin Roriguez (Katsuha). The GC hopefuls are also likely to set off their own fireworks on the mountain top finish of Monte San Vicino (stage 5), 1208 metres above sea level.
Tirreno-Adriatico runs from 9 - 15 March 2016
