Manager Eusebio Unzué has compiled a shortlist of eleven riders set to make up the Movistar Team's official roster for the 99th Giro d'Italia (9-31 May).

Alejandro Valverde will lead the squad, which will be announced after the Tour de Romandie and the Vuelta a Asturias. Andrey Amador (CRC), Giovanni Visconti (ITA), Alex Dowsett (GBR), Jasha Sütterlin (GER), Rory Sutherland (AUS), Antonio Pedrero, José Joaquín Rojas, José Herrada, Javi Moreno and Rubén Fernández (ESP) are also in for the remaining eight spots.

At 36 years of age, Valverde will make a belated Giro d'Italia debut and he aims big at the Italian race. Initially focused on the podium, the Spaniard has changed his plans as he eyes the chance to win the second grand tour of his career. Valverde made a late decision to change his initial plans by skipping the Flemish classics and instead he has trained at altitude for the Giro. He made his return to racing at Sunday's Klasika Primavera and will be racing at the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon from Friday to Sunday before he heads to the Ardennes for Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. With his eyes on the Giro, he admits that he is unlikely to be at 100% in the classics.

The shortlist allows Valverde to head into the Giro with confidence in his team. Last year's fourth place finisher Amador, mountains jersey winner Visconti, Herrada, Moreno and Fernandez will offers formidable support in the mountains while Dowsett, Sütterlin, Sutherland and Rojas will be on hand in the flatter stages. Neo-professional Pedrero has the chance to make a grand tour debut if he makes the cut.