Beñat Intxausti could miss Giro d'Italia as he recovers from mononucleosis

Team Sky's Beñat Intxausti may be forced to sit out of the Giro d'Italia as his season continues to be disrupted by mononucleosis.

The Basque rider has not raced since pulling out of the Ruta del Sol in February due to the viral infection, also known as Epstein-Barr virus.

Intxausti's absence is a blow to Team Sky's Giro plans, with proposed leader Mikel Landa having also been sidelined at the start of the season.

“There are less than two months [until the Giro], and at this moment, I have not touched my bike in a month. I don’t know when I will start, but I don’t want it to become an obsession,” Intxausti told Basque website eitb.eus.

“I love the Giro, but if I go I would like to be in a good condition so maybe I will have to evaluate an alternative calendar.

“Within six or seven days, I would like to do a little on the rollers and see how the body is and how it responds after this break.”

There is good news for Landa, though, as he should make his debut for Sky at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali, which starts on March 24. From there he could race the Tour of the Basque Country and the Giro del Trentino before the start of the Giro on May 6.