Team INEOS have put their faith in youth for their first Grand Tour race under new ownership.
With the Team Sky era over after the broadcaster pulled the plug on its sponsorship, Dave Brailsford had an eye very much on the future when selecting his Giro d'Italia line-up.
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Defending champion Chris Froome and 2018 Tour de France winner Thomas are skipping the prestigious race to give themselves every chance of arriving in Paris wearing the yellow jersey in July.
Egan Bernal was ruled out with a broken collarbone, so Tao Geoghegan Hart and Pavel Sivakov will lead the team in the Giro, which starts in Bologna on Saturday.
Eddie Dunbar, Sebastian Henao, Christian Knees, Jhonatan Narvaez, Salvatore Puccio and Ivan Sosa have also been named in the team's youngest ever line-up for a Grand Tour - the average age being 25.
We look at the two men who have been given the nod to lead Team INEOS in the 102nd edition of the race.
TEAM NEWS: @taogeoghegan & @PavelSivakov will lead @TeamINEOS at the @giroditalia! Here's our full lineup for the first Grand Tour of the season @EddieDunbar @taogeoghegan @5_henao @ChristianKnees @NarvaezJho @SalvatorePuccio @PavelSivakov @ivansosacuervo
— Team INEOS (@TeamINEOS) May 7, 2019
TAO GEOGHEGAN HART
Geoghegan Hart made his Grand Tour debut at the Vuelta a Espana last year as he progressed massively in 2018.
The Brit played a big part in team success at the Criterium du Dauphine, Tour of California and Colombia Oro y Paz, while he placed fifth in the Vuelta a Burgos.
Geoghegan Hart claimed his first senior victory in stage one of the Tour of the Alps in April, going on to finish second in the general classification behind team-mate Sivakov.
The Londoner is a strong all-rounder and won the mountainous stage four of the Tour of the Alps, showing why he was signed ahead of the 2017 season.
PAVEL SIVAKOV
Big things were expected of Sivakov when he joined the team last year and he is certainly not disappointing.
The 21-year-old Russian ended the Team Sky era in style with his Tour of the Alps triumph, having pulled off his first professional stage win on day two.
A big climbing talent, Sivakov won the Baby Giro two years ago before being snapped up by Team Sky.
He has made a seamless switch to the professional ranks and should thrive on leadership responsibilities alongside Geoghegan Hart.
