Giro d'Italia starts without a British rider for the first time in 16 years

The 2015 Giro d'Italia will not feature a single British rider for the first time since 1999

Mark Cavendish in Giro d'Italia lead after stage one of the 2009 race

(Image credit: Watson)

The Giro d'Italia will start on Saturday, May 9, in San Lorenzo al Mare without one British rider. Not since 1999, 16 years ago, has the Italian Grand Tour rolled off without a "GBr" next to the name of at least one of the 198 riders.

The only "GBr" on the provisional start list that organiser RCS Sport released today is the one next to Sky, to indicate it is a Great Britain-registered team. Its nine-man team and the other 21 nine-man teams, however, do not feature a British rider.

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