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The LottoNL-Jumbo\u2019s Dutchman in Bergamo to discover the Granfondo Gimondi Bianchi\u2019s route and the next Giro d\u2019Italia\u2019s climbs: \u201cI recommend all the fans to participate, but I will be coming back to win the Giro\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n If the 100th Giro d\u2019Italia<\/strong> will be decided in Bergamo<\/strong>\u2019s stage, we will see in May. But maybe, in some months, Steven Kruijswijk<\/strong> will be looking back to this day, January 7th 2017<\/strong>, spent with Felice Gimondi<\/strong> to discover the roads of his home area and the routes of the Granfondo Gimondi Bianchi<\/strong>, that will celebrate its 21st edition<\/strong> in exactly four months, on May 7th 2017<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The LottoNL-Jumbo Dutchman, who wore the pink jersey for five days in 2016, could use a special guide in his first Italian ride of the new year, in which he hopes to get back what he had left on the Colle dell\u2019Agnello<\/strong> descent. His road to the Giro starts from pink, from \u201cFelice Gimondi in pink<\/strong>\u201d. That\u2019s the title of the 21st edition of Gimondi\u2019s Granfondo, whose routes were ridden by Kruijswijk today along with another former pro from Bergamo, Beppe \u201cTurbo\u201d Guerini<\/strong>, with Felice Gimondi in their wake in the team car.<\/p>\n Colle del Gallo<\/strong> and Selvino<\/strong> were the climbs tackled by Kruijswijk with the new Oltre XR4<\/strong> by Bianchi, the brand he shares with Felice Gimondi, in a cold and sunny day. In the last part of his ride, the Dutchman didn\u2019t miss the chance to see the Boccola<\/strong> climb to the Bergamo\u2019s Citt\u00e0 Alta<\/strong>: the ascent that will characterize the finale of Giro d\u2019Italia\u2019s stage 15 on May 21st, along with Selvino.<\/p>\n \u201cTo see the key points of a stage it\u2019s always important, it\u2019s a big advantage<\/em> \u2013 Kruijswijk explained \u2013 and that\u2019s why I wanted to go to the Citt\u00e0 Alta to see the route until the finish. But it was also a valuable opportunity to explore a beautiful area, that I got to know pretty well in the years, in every way \u2013 from its sights to a good plate of casoncelli. Here it\u2019s amazing for every cycling lover, and now I better understand why Granfondo Gimondi Bianchi is so popular<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo win the Bergamo stage, close to Bianchi\u2019s headquarter, would be really nice<\/em>,\u201d Kruijswijk continued, \u201cbut my main goal is the final maglia rosa. Last year I came close, this time I want to be better \u2013 and I will have the whole team dedicated to this<\/em>.\u201d In 1998 and 2000, Marco Pantani<\/strong> and Stefano Garzelli<\/strong> rode on the Granfondo route before winning the Giro: maybe the Granfondo Gimondi Bianchi will bring some good luck also to Kruijswijk.<\/p>\n Relaunching the LottoNL-Jumbo\u2019s leader ambitions is Gimondi himself: \u201cIn the last few years, I have known Kruijswijk as a strong athlete, with a good style on the bike and competitive at the top level in cycling. Today, I have known Steven, a very likable guy, very outgoing but also extremely committed and professional: his choice to extend his ride to the Citt\u00e0 Alta to see the Giro finish, in spite of the cold, says a lot about his mentality<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Felice believes in the Dutchman\u2019s credentials for the Giro title: \u201cLast year he would have brought the Giro d\u2019Italia back to Bianchi, if not for that ill-fated descent: I won the 50th Giro in 1976, I hope the 100th will be Steven\u2019s one<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n