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Kirsten Frattini

Lotte Kopecky, Elisa Longo Borghini speak to the crowds at Giro d'Italia Women teams presentation - Gallery

Lotte Kopecky speaks to the crowds on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Lidl-Trek and Elisa Longo Borghini wave to the crowds (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Cofids and Ceratizit-WNT wait to step up on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Fem van Empel and Visma-Lease a Bike at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
The new Trofeo Senza Fine, or the Endless Trophy, for the women's event on display at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
The new Trofeo Senza Fine, or the Endless Trophy, for the women's event on display at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Questions and answers on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Top Girls Fassa Bortolo on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Tashkent City Women on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Roland on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Human Powered Health (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Cofidis on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Uno-X Mobility on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
BePink on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Ceratizit-WNT on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Isolmat-Premac-Vittoria on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Liv AlUla Jayco on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Movistar on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Visma-Lease a Bike on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
UAE Team ADQ on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Fenix-Deceuninck on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
AG Insurance-Soudal on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
CanyonSRAM take a selfie on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
EF Education-Cannondale sport a new kit on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
FDJ-SUEZ on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
DMS-Firmenich PostNL on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Juliette Labous waves to the crowds at on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Elisa Longo Borghini is the home favourite as Lidl-Trek go on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
SD Worx-Protime and World Champion Lotte Kopecky on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
Cofidis go up on stage (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
UAE Team ADQ at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)
World Champion Lotte Kopecky on stage at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women at the teams presentation at the Piazza della Loggia in Brescia (Image credit: RCS Sport / LaPresse)

Brescia warmly welcomed the 153 riders who will compete at the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women, which starts on Sunday with an individual time trial to set the tone for the battle for the maglia rosa. 

Twenty-two teams were presented on stage at the Piazza della Loggia.

World Champion Lotte Kopecky took to the microphone to answer questions from the organisers for the crowds during a question-and-answer session while her SD Worx-Protime teammates were introduced on stage.

Cyclingnews has highlighted Kopecky as one of the favourites for the overall classification, given her success at the Tour de France Femmes last year and in shorter stages races this season. However, she said that she would like to win a stage and build her form ahead of the Olympic Games.

"The Giro d'Italia is a beautiful race that has long been part of the calendar in women's cycling. My first win in the Giro was an important moment in my career," Kopecky said.

"First and foremost, I want to come out of the Giro better than I started it. And not to get sick. By suffering in the eight race days, I hope to take the final step conditionally towards Paris 2024.

"It will be a kind of tough training block. I don't have ambitions for the final classification, but I do have intermediate goals. I would like to win a stage. That would be really nice." 

The event's home favourite is Italian champion Elisa Longo Borghini, who lines up with a powerful Lidl-Trek team that includes the maglia bianca of the 2023 edition Gaia Realini, and two former world champions Elisa Balsamo and Lizzie Deignan.

"We have everything we need to aim for stage wins and for the general classification. Looking to the course, it’s going to be an interesting Giro. The opening ITT is, right from the start, a key day for the general classification. There are four difficult stages to follow, not super hard but definitely hectic and with tricky finishes where we can never let our guard down. These will be good opportunities to try to sprint with Elisa or, perhaps, seek glory with a breakaway," said Lidl-Trek director Ina Teutenberg.

“The last three stages will be the decisive ones for the GC. The queen stage on Saturday, with the double climb to Blockhaus, will be the most important day. But the last day must also be held in high regard. It will be anything but a procession. I expect a hard-fought Giro to the last kilometre, and we will be ready to play all our cards."

Join Cyclingnews' coverage of the 2024 Giro d'Italia Women with race reports, results, photo galleries, news and race analysis.

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