The Giro d'Italia embarks from Turin on Saturday with home fans eager for their first Italian winner since Vincenzo Nibali in 2016. A glimpse at some of the colourful Italians who have shaped the race's history.

Ganna: The Bricklayer

Former bricklayer Luigi Ganna won the first Giro d'Italia in 1909 when, despite its 2,448km length, the race was staged over eight days. The long rides – the longest opening stage of 397km took over 14 hours for winner Dario Beni – were no worry for Ganna who had been commuting up to 100km a day by bike carrying his tools. He would later found the Ganna bike company, ubiquitous in Italy at its height, with a highly popular drop-handle three-speed gearbox model that made him a wealthy man.

Coppi: Blast From Pope

Fausto Coppi won seven major tours between 1940 and 1953, including the Giro five times. He also received a letter from the Pope telling him that Saint Peter was hurt by his adultery. Coppi was caught up in an affair with a married women, Giulia Occhini. The pair were hounded and shunned and he was spat upon in public. In spite of being tried for adultery and given suspended sentences, they remained true until Coppi caught malaria racing in Burkina Faso and died aged 40.

Cipollini: Lion King With Dark Side

Sprint specialist Mario Cipollini won a record 42 stages on the Giro d'Italia between 1989 and 2003 and was fundamental in popularising the sprint train method of leading out a team's speedster over the final kilometres. He is remembered for the flowing locks that earned him one of his nicknames, 'the Lion King', and his flashy outfits such as a tiger print bodysuit. He was a fan favourite with his flashing smile and easygoing manner. He also had a darker side and was sentenced to three years in prison for domestic abuse, which included threatening his wife with a gun because her skirt was too short.

Pantani: Tragedy Of Swashbuckling Pirate

In the days before helmets were obligatory, Marco Pantani protected his shaven head with a bandana. That, along with his earring and a swashbuckling style, earned him the name 'Il Pirata': the pirate. He won a legion of fans with his all-in style with which he won the 1998 Giro and Tour de France but would face a barrage of doping allegations that he said sickened him. He never admitted to the offence. His death aged 34 from a cocaine overdose whilst alone in a hotel room only served to increase his outsider status. Diego Maradona and Cipollini were among the mourners at his funeral.

Nibali: The Shark

Sicilian Vincenzo Nibali won the Giro twice as well as the Vuelta a Espana and the Tour de France once each with supreme tactical acumen and technical control of his bike. He was never the most naturally talented, but he had the street smarts that made the difference in key moments and earned him the nickname 'The Shark of Messina'. At the 2019 Giro, Primoz Roglic started as clear favourite but Nibali whittled away at him until the Slovenian cracked, only for Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz to bamboozle them both and steal in to take the title ahead of Nibali, but it was he that showed how to beat the Slovenian.