EF EDUCATION-EASYPOST
Looking for: Stage wins with added panache
The US team has cultivated an image of itself as a bunch of happy-go-lucky mavericks for whom enjoying the ride is as important as finishing first, but it appears to be more than just spin. Just two weeks ago in the Tour de Suisse, a big attack by Alberto Bettiol that so very nearly succeeded was something the Italian did "just for fun", he said. And take Irishman Ben Healy's incessant attacking in last year's Giro d'italia that almost seemed to be as much for his own entertainment as for any good sporting reason – until, of course, he went and won a stage. The team looks buoyant this year, with a handful of Worldtour-level wins, including a Giro d'italia stage.
Hitter: Alberto Bettiol
An exceptionally strong rider who can win on lumpy, Classics-type terrain and turn his hand to a time trial too, Bettiol already has top-10 finishes at this year's Tour of Flanders and Milan-san Remo under his belt. Led the Tour de Suisse for one stage but crashed heavily and pulled out a day later.
Star rider: Richard Carapaz
Carapaz suffered the ignominy of crashing out of the race on stage one last year, and EF Education struggled to recover from the blow. This year, the Ecuadorian's prep wasn’t ideal, crashing on stage four of the Tour Suisse and sustaining injuries to his face. He was a DNS the following day. He’s a former winner of the Giro, (and is the outgoing Olympic champion) and a podium finisher at the Tour, but hasn’t won a stage race since the 2021 Tour de Suisse. He needs a result to reaffirm his billing.