Lawrence Pitti will make his Giro d'Italia debut Saturday in Turin, his first Grand Tour.

The 21-year-old New Zealander can hold his own on the hills and finish fast. He has already used those strengths to win one WorldTour race this season, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

"To be at the start of a three-week competition in Turin is a real opportunity and to discover your first Grand Tour as a leader is no mean feat.

"We are arriving on the Italian roads with a lot of expectations, so we will take one opportunity after another and do our best every day to win this stage that unites us all."

The second-year WorldTour professional may be inexperienced in Grand Tours, but he has shown the ability to quickly analyze, learn, and adapt, garnering clear support from his team.

"Together with a strong and complementary team, we will support Laurens Pitti in his quest for stage wins on the flat and in the hills," Frederic Gedeon said in a team statement.

"Everyone will play a key role around the sprinters to maximize their chances of victory. They are all eager to start in Turin on Saturday"

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The European spring underscored the ability that Pitti showed in Australia in January, with two podium finishes in the Paris-Nice stage and joining an elite group in the toughest classics. His best finish was seventh in Paris-Roubaix, and although he did not have a major Classics result, he showed ample potential to win on the big stage in the future. His Grupama-FDJ team is rallying to do what it can to hasten rather than delay it.

"Lowrance is a strong endgame player and knows how to get by on his own. But he will often face adversity, so it is in his best interest to rely on us," said team captain Olivier Le Gac.

Four riders are participating in the Giro for the first time, half of whom are eligible to participate in the youth category. In addition to Le Gac, Pitti will race alongside Luis Askey, Cyril Barthe, Clément Davy, Lorenzo Germani, Fabien Lienhardt, and Enzo Parreni.

"With the support of this great team, I know anything is possible," Pitti said.

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