Domenico Pozzovivo is the clear leader for AG2R La Mondiale at the Giro and will surely go into the race targeting his first ever podium finish. Reportedly measuring in at 5’5” and a little over 8 stone, Pozzovivo is one of the smallest riders in the professional peloton and ideally suited for the steep terrain of the Giro d’Italia.

Pozzovivo enjoyed his best ever season in 2012, headlined by a stage win and 8th overall finish at the Giro d’Italia. That earned him promotion to the World Tour with the French team AG2R La Mondiale team, as they sought a new leader for the Giro d’Italia. Strictly speaking that idea didn’t go to plan in 2013 as Pozzovivo could only manage a 10th overall finish in the Italian race, which was far short of the performance envisaged by both team and rider. However two weeks prior to the race Pozzovivo had crashed out of the Giro del Trentino, fracturing two ribs in the process. He was still suffering from that injury when the Giro d’Italia got underway and was unable to reach his peak performance level as a result.

Pozzovivo bounced back in the second half of the season. A 7th place finish in the Tour de Pologne preceded an impressive 6th overall finish in the Vuelta a Espana, his debut at the Spanish Grand Tour, and 4th in Milano-Torino, a semi-classic with a summit finish. The most impressive part of his Vuelta debut was his 3rd place finish on the individual time trial, a result that surprised everyone in cycling, including the rider himself, who reported that he just felt very strong that day. It was a hilly course, and Pozzovivo is a decent time trialist for a rider of his slight stature, but even so it was a shock to see him finish ahead of a number of riders who would normally expect to beat him comfortably.

Pozzovivo has enjoyed some reasonable results in 2014. He was solid when riding to a 6th place finish in Tirreno-Adriatico, and was also 8th overall in the Volta a Catalunya. However, his most impressive performance of the season came when he was 5th in the one day classic Roma Maxima.

On the ascent of the Campi di Annibale, the Movistar duo of Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde worked over the peloton with a series of attacks. When Valverde went clear of the pack Pozzovivo was able to follow him, before launching a stinging attack of his own as the climb grew steeper towards the top, and it was all Valverde could do to hang on close behind. Unfortunately for Pozzovivo the crest of the climb came 35km from the finish, and he isn’t built to hold off an organised chase.

When the racing goes uphill during the Giro, we can expect Pozzovivo to be there, dancing on the pedals and using his size to his advantage. Anything less than a top 5 finish will be a disappointment for him, and a podium place is certainly a possibility, but he cannot afford to suffer any setbacks along the way this time around.

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About the author
Kev Connaghan
Sports writer covering cycling, NFL and Michigan football, as well as a general sports fan