Giro d'Italia preview: Putting a plaster on before the cut
A wide-open Giro packed with drama starts today in Albania | The lack of high mountains, the elephant in the room of this year’s edition.
*This is the preview of the first part of the race up to stage 9. After the rest day, I will publish the next preview.
The Giro dodges snow… and its own legacy
The Giro tries to dodge snow, stage cancellations, rider protests and logistical chaos and in doing so, also dodges the epic, the grand high-mountain stages, and its own history.
Even so, the route remains open for riders to play, to turn the race into a daily a tactical battlefield. It lacks pure toughness, but there’s still terrain and elevation. There are no summits above 2.000 metres, but the distances are still solid. The Dolomites are missing, yet we have Mortirolo, Finestre and Sestriere. There’s little time trialling, though it matches modern cycling standards.
In short, it’s a 'softer' Giro, designed to avoid problems and attract stars looking to combine the race with their spring or summer targets. Perhaps it’s the only way forward for a Grand Tour forced to compete under unequal conditions with La Vuelta, its great rival, fixed to the month of May. Climatically, both races would benefit from swapping dates. From a business perspective, it’s clear La Vuelta is happy reigning over August and September.
I understand the reasons, but I don't like it. In this life, you can lose many things and let go of many others, but you can never lose your identity… and the Giro sets aside its essence to avoid problems. When the big, big stars only show up if there's a financial contract involved and your prestige is at stake, what's left is to preserve your essence. You're left being yourself.
Albania
Stage 1: Durrës-Tirana (160km) | Friday, 9th May
The Grande Partenza is in Albania this year. What's becoming rare is that a Grand Tours start in its home country. A good punchy profile, with a trap halfway that reaches 11% ramps and a final circuit to present Albania to the world, which in itself is an incentive to turn on the TV.
A poor country within the European context, but one on the rise economically and touristically. This affirms its historical ties with Italy and its desire to show the world that it is a green and attractive country, but also with a coastline like Dürres, where this Giro will begin. As a curiosity, differences in negotiations delayed the presentation of the 2025 Giro until January, something quite unusual.
A first day for medium mountain specialists and a quality breakaway.
Stage 2 (ITT). Tirana-Tirana (13.7km) | Saturday, 10th May
A climb midway through the course and 3 sharp bends are the challenges of the first time trial in the 2025 Giro. 13.7 km to see the first small differences between the favourites and to showcase the Albanian capital to the world.
Stage 3. Vlorë-Vlorë (160km) | Sunday 11th May
A solid stage to wrap up the Albanian leg, this time featuring a profile that consistently rises throughout the first 65 kilometres. It's a shame that this could potentially be the first opportunity for the sprinters, as the start is tailor-made for early attacks and high-speed racing in search of the breakaway.
Perhaps the fact that there's nearly 40 km between the summit of the Llogara Pass and the finish line makes it seem like there won’t be much of a battle. That would be a mistake. The climb is tough enough to drop the pure sprinters and even open the door for a long-range move. If the right riders make the break, we could witness a beautiful stage.
Italy… and the tedious reality
Stage 4. Alberobello (Pietramadre)-Lecce (189km) | Tuesday 13th May
We enter Italy with the first clear stage for the sprinters after a rest day. Surprising, considering how close Albania is to Italy, though I don’t mind the race kicking off on a Friday instead of the usual Saturday start we see in most Grand Tours.
Stage 5. Ceglie Messapica-Matera (151km) | Wednesday 14th May
Stage five finishes in Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site carved in stone, with a breathtaking historic centre. The sprinters should have opportunities, and flat terrain remains relevant in cycling, but this stage is part of a trio of potential sprints that, in my opinion, are placed too closely together.
Of the three (4-5-6), this should be the stage where a breakaway or a surprise move could break the script.
Stage 6. Potenza-Napoli (227km) | Thursday 15th May
The Giro returns to Napoli, a city that has worked well for the race in recent years, with circuits, breakaways and a fun Narváez-Pogačar duel in 2024 that ended with Kooij’s first and only Grand Tour stage win to date.
This stage features a long climb to Carruozzo, which seems ideal for establishing or solidifying the day's breakaway. The finish, around Mount Vesuvius, should result in a bunch sprint. The highlight of the day: its 226-kilometre length!
Here we go
Stage 7. Castel di Sangro-Tagliacozzo (168km) | Friday 16th May
Castel di Sangro is the protagonist of one of those football miracles that rarely make it into literature. Forgive the off-topic, but one of the greatest sports books of all time deserved at least a mention.
It’s also something of a miracle to see a summit finish in this Giro, in the Apennines, which seems determined to set itself apart from the Tour and the Vuelta in that respect. A day of constant ups and downs leads to Tagliacozzo via Marsia (12.6 km at 5.4%), a summit finish that, although not steep at the beginning, ends with a brutal final 3 kilometres exceeding 10%.
If Primož Roglič could design a stage for himself, I’d guess it would look a lot like this.
Stage 8. Giulianova-Castelraimondo (197km) | Saturday 17th May
Saturday’s stage moves away from the Adriatic coast and will feature nearly 4.000 metres of elevation gain, a relentless up-and-down profile, and a fairly tough climb midway through: Santa Maria Maddalena. After witnessing the first summit finish, it feels like the right moment to make the call: stage hunters, this is your breakaway.
Stage 9. Gubbio-Siena (181km) | Sunday 18th May
We close the first big block of the race, despite the rest day after Albania, with one of the stages I’m most excited about in this edition. A more than worthy incursion into the sterrato towards Siena.
If Strade Bianche works, the riders love it, the fans love it, and the industry loves it, why not replicate its essence in the Giro? RCS isn’t foolish and gives the people what they want. Beyond how it fits into the ‘product’, I think this will be one of those stages that generates dual interest: the stage itself and the overall classification.
We’ll have 3 very long sterrato sections, over 8km each, with particular focus on San Martino in Grania. Due to its location in the stage, just over 30km from the finish, its length (9.3 km), the gradient that reaches 12% in the final section and the possibility that this could be where the race breaks open or mechanical failures occur. There will be a fierce battle to get well positioned.
After that, we’ll have two much shorter sections, and a finish at the beautiful Piazza del Campo. The Via Santa Caterina will be the judge of the stage and, inevitably, will cause differences between the best riders. If a peloton arrives, no matter how selected, the most interesting part will be seeing how they handle the narrow streets of Siena’s historic center. Not everyone will fit, and once they start climbing, it won’t matter if you’re sitting in the wheels.
A day when we won't know who wins the 2025 Giro, but we'll certainly know who loses it.
Next Monday, the 19th, you'll get a recap of the next block of the race. For now, enjoy the Giro and don't forget to subscribe!
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