Lotte Kopecky is to ride both the Giro d'Italia Women and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift this summer, but the goal remains the yellow jersey in the latter.
The Belgian's SD Worx-Protime announced their Giro lineup on Wednesday morning, which will also include Anna van der Breggen and Lorena Wiebes. The eight-stage race begins in Bergamo on Sunday 6 July, and ends on 8 July, just a fortnight before the Tour.
Kopecky will not be explicitly aiming for pink, according to her team, with victory at the Tour the aim, where she will battle with Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) and defending champion Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM).
"Lotte Kopecky will ride the Giro d’Italia in preparation for the Tour de France Femmes. The overall classification in France is her main goal," Danny Stam, SD Worx-Protime's DS, said in a press release.
"The Giro is a great race on the way to peak form in the Tour. In Italy, we will not put any pressure on Lotte to perform in the general classification.
"There is a lot of climbing in this Giro d'Italia. Of course, she will undoubtedly choose a stage where she wants to dominate, but otherwise the aim is for her to build confidence ahead of the Tour de France Femmes."
Van der Breggen will return to the race she won four times, including on her last appearance, in 2021. However, her team say the Tour is still the big goal.
"Anna van der Breggen has gained a lot of confidence with her third place and stage win in the Vuelta a España Feminina," Stam said.
"In the Giro, she may have some cautious ambitions for the general classification, although the Giro is also preparation for the Tour de France Femmes for her.
"Her main goal is to support Lotte as best she can in France. With a view to preparing well for the Tour, she will definitely want to test her legs in the Giro and then see how that works out for the final classification."
Wiebes will aim to add to her three Giro stage wins, but there is just one out and out flat stage at this year's race. The trio will be joined by Mikayla Harvey, Steffi Häberlin, Elena Cecchini and Barbara Guarischi.
"We are not starting with a big ambition to win the overall classification in the Giro, but when we can force a good starting position, we are not going to miss such a great opportunity," Stam said. "Because of this approach, a number of riders have a freer role to be able to go for stage wins."
