The Grand Tour and World Championships may be over, but the season is still alive, and Saturday's Giro delle Miglia is an important stepping stone to Il Lombardia.

With the Giro della Toscana, Coppa Sabatini, and Thursday's Coppa Agostoni, the Italian one-day races at the end of the season have already begun.

The race, which climbs Bologna's steep San Luca five times and finishes with a breathless circuit, lends itself to punchers.

Primoz Roglic, who has won two of the last three editions, will not be defending his title after a scratchy campaign that ended with crashes at the Tour de France and Vuelta a España. Without the Slovenian, Jumbo Visma lacks major favorites, although new world time trial champion Tobias Foss and talented British trainee Thomas Gloag have caught the eye.

Otherwise, there is no shortage of quality. Two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogachar is preparing to defend his title the following weekend in Lombardy. The Slovenian leads a strong UAE Team Emirates lineup that includes Marc Hirschi, Davide Formolo, George Bennett, Rafal Mayka, Alessandro Covi, and 2013 winner Diego Ulissi.

Alaphilippe will wear the team-supplied Quick Step Alpha Vinyl kit for the first time in two years after giving up the rainbow jersey to Remco Evenpoel at the recent World Championships. Evenpoel will take time out in front of his home fans in Belgium next week to compete in Binche-Chimay-Binche, but in terms of competition, the world champion's season is effectively over. Alaphilippe will take his first win at Il Lombardia, flanked by the dangerous Mauri Vansevenin.

Ineos Grenadiers is a strong team led by Adam Yates, Daniel Martinez, Carlos Rodriguez, and Tao Geoghegan Hart. There is also the professional debut of Leo Hayter, who swept the U23 Giro this year and will turn pro with Ineos next year.

Israel Premier Tech seems poised for a World Tour relegation fate, but either way, they are sure to make a splash in the Italian Classic. With podium experience in Dylan Tuns, Jacob Fuglsang, and Michael Woods, they are probably the strongest puncher group in the race.

Beulah Hansgrohe is Vlasov, winner of the 2020 Blake Race, Simon Yates is the favorite for Bike Exchange Jayco, and David Gaudou is the favorite for Groupama FDJ.

Elsewhere, Alejandro Valverde competed for the third time in his long career, leaving only Tre Valli Varesine and Il Lombardia next week. Movistar has avoided relegation, but dreams of giving the longtime talisman a winning parting gift.

Check below for the full start list.

The 105th Giro delle Miglia will take place in Bologna over 198.7 km.

After a 60 km flat from Carpi, the long climb up Ca' Bortolani begins.

But the race really picks up as it enters the old town of Bologna and climbs steeply up to Sant'Aglio della Madonna di San Luca. At the end of a hard race, double-digit gradients can quickly open up the gap.

The racers complete five laps of the 9km finishing lap course. This lap descends briefly, ascends briefly, and then descends again to the base of the uphill. There is no flat surface, and the last hour of the race is unforgiving.