Derek Gee leads IPT in the Giro d’Italia
Derek Gee will return to the Giro d’Italia after his breakthrough performance in 2023, this time leading a strong IPT team in pursuit of both daily and overall success.
“The Giro definitely has a special place in my heart. This is where I had my first big results. The crowds were amazing, and I’m super motivated for this whole race. To come back to the Giro is really special to me,” Gee says.
Unlike the daily stage hunting that saw Gee become a fan favorite in 2023, this time the focus will be on finishing as high as possible in the general classification.
“It was pretty special to be hunting for stages two years ago, but this time I’ll have a different and more ambitious goal – thinking of the GC. I don’t want to put a specific number on what my expectations are for the general classification, I just want to continue building on what we’ve already achieved this season. Then, hopefully, in Rome, we can look back and have a good number on the board. I really just want to do the best race I can.”
To support Gee, IPT will line up with the following riders at the Grande Partenza in Albania on May 9: Corbin Strong, Hugo Houle, Jakob Fuglsang, Jan Hirt, Marco Frigo, Nick Schultz, and Simon Clarke – a versatile group also capable of aiming for stage glory.
Sports director Sam Bewley explains: “It’s no secret that we are going to the Giro d’Italia to ride the GC with Derek. We believe that with his abilities and physical capacities, we can do a really good GC with him. Of course, we want to win stages at the Giro too, and we’ve got a number of guys capable of doing that. There should be plenty of opportunities for breakaways to succeed this year, and we’ve got some really good guys to be part of that. Furthermore, there are a lot of punchy, uphill finishes this year that really suit Corbin.
“Overall, we’ve got a well-rounded group, with the main objective being the GC while also trying to pick up a few stage wins along the way.”
Last year, Gee changed his focus midway through the season to test himself in the general classification at the Critérium du Dauphiné. He surprised many by finishing on the overall podium in third place before going to the Tour de France and take ninth place in the GC. This year, the 27-year-old Canadian has already tasted stage race success in form of his overall victory in Gran Camiño and third place in Tour of the Alps. Now, it’s time for the big test in the Giro d’Italia.
As this will be the first time Gee targets the GC at a Grand Tour from the start of the season, Bewley highlights the importance of having an experienced group of riders around the Canadian team leader.
“We felt that it was really important to surround Derek with experienced guys, and we’ve got quite a lot of depth when it comes to experience in our group, with the likes of Simon Clarke, Jakob Fuglsang, Jan Hirt, Nick Schultz, and Hugo Houle. All of these guys have a history of riding in support of leaders at Grand Tours or riding GC themselves, so we felt it was important to have them here. They have been racing together a lot throughout the season already, really connecting as a group, and they have all prepared really well for this Giro. We are ready.”
Gee, too, points to the strong and experienced group around him as a key factor in having a good race.
“I think the team has been great all year. The core group of us has raced together at every race, and it has just been incredible. We have such good chemistry as a team, and hopefully, we can translate that into getting some good results. I’m really looking forward to this Giro!”
IPT at the Giro d’Italia (Friday May 9 – Sunday June 1)
Riders: Derek Gee (CAN), Corbin Strong (NZL), Hugo Houle (CAN), Jakob Fuglsang (DEN), Jan Hirt (CZE), Marco Frigo (ITA), Nick Schultz (AUS) and Simon Clarke (AUS)
Sports Directors: Sam Bewley (NZL), Daryl Impey (RSA), Pat McCarty (USA).
