Dan Lloyd gets late call up for Giro d’Italia

Britain?s Daniel Lloyd was busy packing his bags on Tuesday after getting a late call up from his Cervelo team to ride the Giro d?Italia.

Lloyd was named as first reserve by the team after suffering with a bronchial virus in mid-April. However New Zealand?s Hayden Roulston has pulled out of the team with an ankle problem, meaning Lloyd will ride the first three-week major Tour of his career.

The classy 28 year-old rider from Dorset will be the ninth British rider in this year?s Giro d?Italia.

The others are: Jeremy Hunt (Cervelo), Mark Cavendish (Columbia), Bradley Wiggins and David Millar (Garmin), Chris Froome (Barloworld), Charly Wegelius (Silence), Ian Stannard (ISD) and Ben Swift (Katusha).

?I?m really looking forward to riding the Giro. It?s something I?ve dreamt about for a long time,? Lloyd told Cycling Weekly.

?To be honest I wasn?t expecting it after being named as reserve. Now I?m running around trying to pack before flying to Venice on Wednesday morning.?

?I?m a little but nervous. I?m ready mentally but I?m not 100% fit because it?s taken a while for me to feel good again after being ill. I had a temperature the night before the Amstel Gold Race, felt dizzy even after two days in bed and struggled to get ride of the cough. I lost eight days of training and just hope I?m alright and don?t ruin all the good work I did in the spring.?

Lloyd will ride in support of team leader and Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre but the hilly profile of this year?s Giro suits him and could mean he gets a chance to go for a stage.

Also in the Cervelo team are for their debut in a major Tour are: Philip Deignan (IRL), Simon Gerrans (AUS), Volodymir Gustov (UKR), Jeremy Hunt (GBR), Ted King (USA), Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU), Serge Pauwels (BEL) and Carlos Sastre (ESP).

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