sentences:  He was seen as one of the better Italian riders with a chance to win the overall, while it was noted that it would be difficult to win the Giro and Vuelta in the same season as only two riders – Eddy Merckx (1973) and Giovanni Battaglin (1981) – had accomplished that prior.Milan–San Remo winner Gianni Bugno () entered the race and writers considered him a contender, others wrote him off as Classics rider.