Tao Geoghegan Hart and Pavel Sivakov lead Team Ineos at Giro d'Italia

London-born Scot Tao Geoghegan Hart will be joint leader of Team Ineos at the Giro d’Italia, which starts on Saturday in Bologna, together with the Russian rider Pavel Sivakov, following the news at the weekend that the Colombian Egan Bernal had broken his collarbone in a training crash.

Both riders were hugely impressive at last month’s Tour of the Alps – their last in the colours of Team Sky – where Sivakov won the overall and Geoghegan Hart second, the podium completed by Bahrain-Merida’s Vincenzo Nibali.

With an out-of-form Gianni Moscon dropped from his home Grand Tour – he will race the Tour of California instead – Team Ineos have opted for a line-up in which the average age is 25 years, lower than any fielded in a Grand Tour by Team Sky over the past decade.

Geoghegan Hart, 24, and Sivakov, 21, both of whom made their Grand Tour debut at last year’s Vuelta, will be joined by Eddie Dunbar, Sebastian Henao, Christian Knees, Jhonatan Narvaez, Salvatore Puccio and Ivan Sosa.

Team principal Sir Dave Brailsford said: “Over the last two seasons we have been bringing together a carefully selected group of young riders who we believe to be the future of our Team.

 “Whilst very much in the learning and development phase of their careers, we have nevertheless already seen them taking great strides forwards this year with Egan, Pavel and Chris Lawless all winning stage races and Tao, Ivan, Jhonatan, Sebastian and Eddie all riding exceptionally well.

 “With this developmental goal in mind, we have chosen to field our youngest-ever team for a Grand Tour and it’s fitting it should be our first one as Team Ineos.”

Reflecting on Bernal’s collarbone fracture, he said: “Egan’s injury is a real shame as he was to lead the team in a Grand Tour for the first time. However, I’m sure he will be fighting fit come July.

“Eddie will now come into the Team for his first Giro and given his recent performances it is well deserved.”

Speaking of the youth of the team, he said: “We will not dramatically change our approach to the race as we will still look to give each rider the greatest developmental opportunities and to learn and gain as much experience as possible.

 “Both Salvatore and Christian have been selected to add in a wealth of Grand Tour experience and to support the riders who will be racing for three weeks for the first time.”

He added: “Whilst we have set ourselves some clear targets and goals, the most important thing is to animate the race, embrace it and enjoy it too – as a young team we really want them to feel an excitement and anticipation of taking on this adventure and to test themselves and see where they get to.

“We will all feel very proud to start our first Grand Tour as Team Ineos and start what I’m sure is going to be a great journey together.”

The team goes into the race buoyed by its first appearance in its new red and black kit at the Tour de Yorkshire that saw Chris Lawless win the overall after a thrilling fourth stage where team-mate Dunbar took third place on the day and on GC.