The 2018 Giro d’Italia is full of climbers capable of a breakout GC performance on the grand stage. An interesting battle will unfold throughout the three weeks of the race between two different types of GC hopefuls—climbers who can time trial, and time trial specialists who can climb. 

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Dumoulin won the 2017 Giro largely with his ability to time trial. Chris Froome is another world-class time trialist who will likely have to rely on the Giro's 44.5 kilometers of time trials to make up some seconds lost in the mountains. Five stages remain in the tour following the final time trial. 

This is where we will likely see the pure climbers pull out all the stops in an attempt to do as much damage to the likes of Froome and Dumoulin as possible. Here are seven key riders to keep an eye on when the road turns uphill.

Miguel Angel Lopez

The 24-year-old Colombian on Astana enters the Giro as a clear GC contender backed up by a team with no shortage of cards to play in the mountains. Lopez recently finished third overall at Tour of the Alps, proving that he could climb with the best of the field day in and day out. This will be Lopez’s first attempt of the Giro, but he is likely to be Astana’s ace in the hole.

Giulio Ciccone

The young climbing specialist on the Bardiani-CSF team has already racked up stage wins at the Giro d’Italia and the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah throughout his short career. After an impressive ride at the Tour of the Alps, Ciccone is poised for a strong performance in the mountains of Italy.

Davide Formolo

The 25-year-old Italian rider finished an impressive 10th overall in the 2017 Giro d’Italia. Formolo is a young rider who gives the impression that he has not shown anything close to his true potential as a GC rider yet. He transferred to the Bora-Hansgrohe team for the 2018 season and will be given free reign to improve on his prior result.

Luis Leon Sanchez

Sanchez is one of the many major players on Astana’s Giro roster. The Spanish rider is a handy time trialist and has become a serious threat in the mountains. He proved to have good legs at Tour of the Alps and will undoubtedly play a major role in Astana’s mountain stage strategy throughout the tour.

Sergio Henao

The Colombian national champion is one of Chris Froome’s most reliable support riders when the road turns uphill. A common theme in Team Sky’s assault on grand tours is the team's ability to have a second rider seemingly capable of taking the leader’s jersey right off their captain’s back. 

Whether it's Froome to Wiggins or Landa to Froome, Team Sky comes with a team of GC contenders under the guise of domestiques. Henao proved to have good legs during the Ardenne’s classics and will likely be Froome’s last line of defense in the mountain stages of the Giro. If history is any indication, he may well find himself in the company of the GC contenders for much of the race.

Esteban Chaves

Chaves is yet another Colombian expected to revel in the mountains of the Giro. Chaves has not given away any signs of form in the month leading up to the Giro, opting to train in the mountains of his home country, rather than use racing as preparation. 

Chaves very nearly won the 2016 Giro. He returns in 2018 with the support of countless fans who would like to see him improve upon that second place. Time will tell if he will bring the goods to Europe.

Domenico Pozzovivo

The 35-year-old Italian has no less than five top-10 GC finishes in the Giro d’Italia dating back to 2008. Pozzovivo appeared to be one of—if not the—strongest climber in the Tour of the Alps.

 If he can hold onto the climbing legs he displayed at the Tour of the Alps throughout the entire three weeks of the Giro, Pozzovivo will be a serious threat in the mountains.