Fenix-Premier Tech heads to the Giro d'Italia Women with confidence after a strong run of results in recent weeks. With Charlotte Kool leading the sprint ambitions and a team eager to continue its momentum, the squad is ready to take on one of the biggest races on the women's calendar. Team leader Charlotte Kool and General Manager Philip Roodhooft look ahead to the Italian Grand Tour.

Charlotte Kool is looking forward to the opportunities that await in Italy.

"We're coming into this Giro with a lot of motivation. The goal is simple: to give everything in the sprint stages and make the most of every opportunity", says Charlotte. "If the first stage finishes in a bunch sprint as expected, there's already the maglia rosa at stake, so that's obviously an objective. Beyond that, I also want to enjoy this race. The Giro d'Italia Women is one of the biggest events on the calendar and it's always special to be part of it.

"We've had a good build-up towards the Giro and I feel we're arriving at the start with a strong group. The atmosphere within the team is good and everyone is motivated to make the most of the opportunities that come our way. That's all you can ask for before a race like this."

The Giro has attracted a particularly strong field this year. "Of course, that makes it harder to win, but if you do manage to take a stage against this level of competition, it only makes the victory more valuable. I think the calendar helps as well, because the race doesn't sit too close to the Tour, which makes it easier for many of the top riders to combine both events."

"We're not going into the race as the favourites, so the pressure isn't really on us. There are a lot of strong sprinters at the start, but we keep the focus on ourselves. We know what we're capable of and we'll take every opportunity as it comes. With several sprint chances throughout the race, hopefully we can be in the mix for a stage win."

General Manager Philip Roodhooft echoes that confidence, while stressing the importance of the collective effort behind the team's ambitions.

"We arrive at the Giro in a good flow. Winning four races in a row with the team over the past days gives confidence to everyone involved. We've been inside the top five of the UCI Team Ranking for several weeks now. That means we are working in a good way. But at the same time we remain realistic. A Grand Tour is always a different challenge and the level of competition will be extremely high. If we can come away with a stage victory, we can look back on a successful Giro."

"The riders, staff and sports directors have worked hard in recent weeks and we're arriving at the Giro in a good place. The atmosphere within the group is positive and the riders enjoy racing together, which is always important in a race like this. And I can confirm what Charlotte says: we focus mainly on ourselves."

"The Giro also carries a special significance within our project", adds Roodhooft. "With Fenix as our title partner and Alé as our clothing partner, racing in Italy always feels a little extra special. The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift remains the biggest race on the calendar, but that doesn't change the fact that the Giro is a race that means a great deal to our team. We're proud to be here and highly motivated to perform well."