Alex Dowsett misses out on Giro d'Italia as Movistar name squad to back Quintana
Movistar leader Nairo Quintana to be backed by strong team of domestiques as he tackles the 2017 Giro d'Italia (May 5-28)


The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to The Pick. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
British time trial national champion Alex Dowsett has not been named as one of the nine riders taking part in the 2017 Giro d'Italia (May 5-28) for the Spanish Movistar team.
The 28-year-old from Essex had featured on the provisional roster for the opening Grand Tour of the season, but was not named in the final line-up revealed on Monday.
Despite a strong performance in the Tour de Romandie last week, where the 2013 Giro stage winner placed second in the prologue and went on a long-range solo attack on stage three, Dowsett will sit out the Italian Grand Tour.
>>> Giro d'Italia 2017 full route details
Movistar's squad has been wholly built around the general classification aspirations of leader Nairo Quintana. The Colombian is attempting the 'double' of contesting the Giro and then the Tour de France in July.
Perhaps seeing Team Sky's recently-announced line-up to back co-leaders Geraint Thomas and Mikel Landa, where Italian sprinter Elia Viviani was a surprise omission in favour of domestiques, Movistar appear to have followed suit.
Andrey Amador, Winner Anacona, Daniele Bennati, Víctor de la Parte, José Herrada, Gorka Izagirre, José Joaquín Rojas and Rory Sutherland will all back Quintana.
Quintana won the Giro in 2014, and the Vuelta a España last year. He goes into the race as leading favourite alongside defending champion Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida). Quintana won stage two of the Vuelta a Asturias on Sunday, and finished second overall.
"This year's route is a very tough course, a demanding one," Quintana said of the Giro. "The last week has an impressive amount of mountains to overcome. Big gaps should be made there - I feel like this year’s course has sought for the strongest climber to win it.
"I went on a recce of some of the final week’s stages some months ago: I had a look at Piancavallo and Asiago, as well as the previous climb to Monte Grappa, who will be a hell of a climb, but also the Blockhaus and the Foligno TT."
On the subject of his big rival, Nibali, Quintana said: "This is ‘his’ race, he’s at home, it’s the 100th Giro. Surely he’ll reach the start in very good shape, and with his team racing it together for the first time, they’ll surely want to make their mark."
The 2017 Giro d'Italia – the 100th edition of the race – kicks off in Sardinia on Friday, May 5 and concludes three weeks later in Milan, on Sunday, May 28.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!

Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
-
-
Peter Sagan: 10 great moments
Sometimes awe-inspiring, sometimes baffling, but nearly always entertaining, here are some of Peter Sagan's greatest hits
By James Shrubsall Published
-
Indoor training competition shrinks as Wahoo closes down RGT and gives some users Zwift subscription
The American tech company's free virtual riding software is to be shut down at the end of October, with attention turning to structured workouts
By Adam Becket Published
-
Opinion: There will never be another bike rider like Annemiek van Vleuten
The flying Dutchwoman could almost win it all, but now her era has almost ended, she should be remembered as the greatest
By Adam Becket Published
-
Will Barta's Canyon bike snaps in Giro d'Italia stage 10 crash
Movistar rider was caught up in incident in sodden day at Giro d'Italia
By Adam Becket Published
-
Alejandro Valverde to return to racing with new Movistar gravel squad
Spanish veteran will pin on numbers in his first ever gravel race at ‘La Indomable’ in Spain on 23 April
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Women’s WorldTour calendar 'a mess' and 'a nonsense' says Movistar boss
The UCI must invest in the bottom of the pyramid to ensure the sport’s future says Sebastián Unzué
By Owen Rogers Published
-
Where next for Mark Cavendish after B & B Hotels-KTM's collapse?
We look at where the ‘Manx Missile’ could find himself next after the collapse of B & B Hotels-KTM
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Where next for Nairo Quintana? Colombian claims he'll still be at WorldTour races
Bahrain-Victorious say no, Movistar are full, Astana-Qazaqstan and AG2R-Citroën have already denied interest
By Adam Becket Published
-
Nairo Quintana’s Tour de France tramadol disqualification upheld
CAS uphold the UCI decision to disqualify the Colombian after painkiller detected in blood tests
By Tom Thewlis Last updated
-
Movistar quick to quash Mark Cavendish signing report
Italian press speculation over future of sprinter denied by Spanish team
By Adam Becket Published