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Wednesday, May 7, 2025

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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia

A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. - John Burroughs

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Upcoming racing:

• May 9 - June 1: Giro d'Italia
• May 11: Tro-Bro Léon

Latest completed racing:

• April 27 - May 4: Tour of Turkey
• April 29 - May 4: Tour de Romandie
• May 1: Rund um den Finanzplaz Eschborn-Frankfurt
• April 27: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
• April 24 - 27: Vuelta Asturias
• April 21 - 25: Tour of the Alps
• April 23: La Flèche Wallonne
• April 20: Amstel Gold Race
• April 20: Tour du Doubs
• April 15 - 18: Giro d'Abruzzo
• April 18: De Brabantse Pijl

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More Giro d'Italia team announcements

We posted four team rosters yesterday.

Here's the Giro team announcement from Team Picnic-PostNL:

Romain Bardet’s final Grand Tour: Team Picnic PostNL confirms their 2025 Giro d’Italia roster:

• Romain Bardet
• Alex Edmondson
• Chris Hamilton
• Gijs Leemreize
• Niklas Märkl
• Max Poole
• Casper van Uden
• Bram Welten

The battles over the cobbles and climbs in the classics have come and gone, the bunch has duked it out in the early-season stage races and now one of the toughest tests in cycling awaits the peloton – the Giro d’Italia.

With a race that is steeped in history, the 2025 edition of La Corsa Rosa provides some challenging terrain throughout the three weeks, in which everyone in the peloton will find something that suits their abilities.

Romain Bardet in yellow after stage one of the 2024 Tour de France. Sirotti photo

Spread over the 21 stages there are two-time trials, some pure sprint opportunities, reduced bunch finishes, hilly and mountainous terrain that will tempt the breakaway artists, and the Giro’s typically tough mountains where the GC riders and climbing specialists will battle it out.

First through, a Grande Partenza in Albania awaits with the start of the race sure to be met with excitement and intrigue by local and global fans alike. One thing is for definite, Team Picnic PostNL will be line-up with a motivated squad that is ready to compete over different terrain as they hunt for stage results in the sprints and go for it in the mountains; in what will be Romain Bardet’s swansong Grand Tour.

Team Picnic PostNL coach Matt Winston explained more: “We can expect another challenging three-week route, starting from the first few stages in Albania before we head back across to Italy. We have a squad that has shown in recent races that they are building nicely, with morale and confidence within the group high. We’ll look to go for the sprint stages with Casper as our finisher, with the guys gelling together more and making final preparations throughout the recent week in Türkiye.

"Like last year, we will aim to ride the best GC possible as a team with Romain as our finisher there, and it will be a special moment for him on his last Grand Tour, while Max will also head into the race to test himself over three-weeks. We will also look for our opportunities to fight for stage wins and top results on the hilly and mountainous terrain too. Throughout the whole race we need to work together well as a team, commit to each other and our goals every day, and by doing so I am confident we can come across the line in Rome and reflect on a good Giro campaign.”

Here's the Giro team announcement from Team Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe:

A new chapter at the Giro: Primož Roglič leads Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe

Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe shares a special bond with the Giro d’Italia – and this year, the team is ready to write a new chapter in its Grand Tour story. Led by Primož Roglič, the squad enters the Italian race with ambitions.

The Giro is more than just a race – it’s a cornerstone of the team’s identity. It was the very first Grand Tour for the squad, the place where they wore a Grand Tour leader’s jersey for the first time, and where they’ve claimed more stage victories than in any other major tour. In 2022, Jai Hindley took the overall win; in 2024, Dani Martínez stood on the final podium. Across the last eight Giro appearances, the team has never left without at least a stage win or a top-three GC finish – a trend they aim to continue in 2025.

Primoz Roglic after winning the 2024 Vuelta a España. Sirotti photo

Starting this Friday, Primož Roglič will lead the team – returning to the Giro and to terrain that suits him well. He is backed by a strong and well-balanced lineup: Giovanni Aleotti, Jai Hindley and Dani Martínez form the backbone for the high mountains. Aleotti, racing his fifth consecutive Giro – instrumental in both Hindley’s victory and Martínez’s podium finish.

Joining this trio of climbers is a rising star: Giulio Pellizzari returns to his home Grand Tour. At just 21 years old, he is the youngest member of the team, but already well known to fans. Last year, he captured hearts across Italy with his attacking style. Earlier this season, he rode alongside Roglič in Catalunya – and this second Grand Tour marks another important step in his talent development.

For the flatter and rolling terrain, the team relies on experience and versatility: Alongside Gianni Moscon, Giro stage winners Nico Denz and Jan Tratnik will take on key duties. For Denz, it’s the third Grand Tour in a row alongside Roglič – after the Tour and the Vuelta, now the Giro completes the hat trick. Tratnik takes on a central leadership role as the team’s road captain.

Rolf Aldag, Chief of Sports at Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe: “Our ambition for the Giro is clear: we want to play a role in the general classification and deliver exciting racing for the fans. We know how tough this Giro will be, and we’re also aware that all eyes will be on Primož. That’s why we’re heading to the start in Albania with a strong, well-balanced team. Primož is in great shape, and the group around him is well-rehearsed and gives us real tactical depth.”

Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe x Giro d'Italia 2025
Giovanni Aleotti, Nico Denz, Jai Hindley, Dani Martínez, Gianni Moscon, Giulio Pellizzari, Primož Roglič, Jan Tratnik

Here’s the Giro lineup announcement from Team VF Group Bardiani-CSF Faizanè:

The 8 athletes who will make up the official lineup for the most anticipated event of the entire season have been selected. Debut in the Giro d’Italia for Alessandro Pinarello and Alessio Martinelli.

Just a few days before the official start of the Giro d’Italia, scheduled for Friday, May 9 in Durrës, VF Group Bardiani-CSF Faizanè has finalized its lineup. For the team led by Bruno Reverberi, the general manager, this marks their 43rd participation — an all-time record, as no other team has ever raced as many editions of the Giro as the Emilia-based squad.

The eight selected riders are: Alessandro Pinarello, Alessio Martinelli, Enrico Zanoncello, Filippo Magli, Filippo Fiorelli, Martin Marcellusi, Luca Covili, and Manuele Tarozzi.

Filippo Fiorelli after stage two of the 2025 Giro d'Abruzzo. Sirotti photo

Here’s what sports director and team manager Roberto Reverberi had to say:
“Our main goal remains a stage victory. We’re particularly eager to see our Giro d’Italia debutants, Alessio Martinelli and Alessandro Pinarello, in action — two young talents who have already shown great promise in recent years. There’s a strong bond within the group and a solid team spirit: we know we can count on experienced riders like Fiorelli and Zanoncello, as well as young athletes eager to make their mark. We have full confidence in our riders and are determined to leave our mark on this edition.”

Making their Giro d’Italia debut, promoted through the youth project, are Alessio Martinelli, from Valtellina, born in 2001, and Alessandro Pinarello, from Veneto, born in 2003, already in his fourth professional season with VF Group Bardiani-CSF Faizanè. Alongside them is Manuele Tarozzi from Faenza, born in 1998, a breakaway specialist and this year’s winner of the climbers’ classification at Tirreno-Adriatico.

Completing the roster are fast riders like Enrico Zanoncello from Verona and Filippo Fiorelli, who last year wore the cyclamen jersey for two days and also won the Intergiro prize. Also present is Filippo Magli from Tuscany, fourth at the 2024 Gran Piemonte and known for his excellent sprinting abilities.

Rounding out the lineup are Luca Covili from Modena, who finished 18th in the general classification of the last edition, and Martin Marcellusi, determined to finish the Giro d’Italia in his hometown of Rome for the third time. Marcellusi has already shone this season, standing on the podium twice — in the second stage of O Gran Camiño and at the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana.

Guiding the team from the team car will be sports directors Roberto Reverberi, Alessandro Donati, Luca Amoriello, and Mirko Rossato.

LINE UP - GIRO D'ITALIA:
Martin Marcellusi
Filippo Fiorelli
Filippo Magli
Alessandro Pinarello
Enrico Zanoncello
Luca Covili
Manuele Tarozzi
Alessio Martinelli
DS: Roberto Reverberi, Alessandro Donati, Mirko Rossato e Luca Amoriello.

Here's the Giro preview from Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Mikel Landa will lead our squad between 9 May-1 June, at the Corsa Rosa.

The Giro d’Italia is more than just the first Grand Tour of the season, it’s a three-week epic journey that can be rewarding and ecstatic, but also cruel and merciless. The Giro is pure poetry, it’s love for coffee, culture and mythology, it’s the race of the memorable duels between Coppi and Bartali, and also one of the Wolfpack’s happy hunting grounds.

In 20 participations, the Wolfpack has racked up a total of 33 stages and nine distinctive jerseys, in addition to multiple other classifications and a runner-up spot in the overall standings. This year, as Albania prepares to become the 12th different country to host the Grande Partenza, Soudal Quick-Step will be at the start with the ambition of being again among the protagonists, regardless of the terrain and the conditions, and leave its mark on the Corsa Rosa.

The experienced Mikel Landa, one of this century’s finest climbers, is ready to lead the team at the 108th edition of the event which he has twice finished third overall, in addition to winning three stages and the famed KOM jersey. The Basque, top ten this season in Tirreno-Adriatico and Volta a Catalunya, shared his excitement at the thought of being back at the race he loves so much.

Mikel Landa checking out the Strade Bianche course earlier this year. Sirotti photo

“I am content with the first months of the season, it’s been a good start to the year for me and now I can’t wait to be with the guys at the Giro d’Italia. I had a solid altitude training camp in Sierra Nevada, continued to prepare also after coming home and I am happy to be back at the start of the race that has made me the rider that I am today. I expect a hard Giro, with a demanding final week, but I am ready to fight for a stage victory and a good general classification there”, said Mikel.

Joining Landa on the Soudal Quick-Step roster will be Mattia Cattaneo, Josef Cerny, Gianmarco Garofoli, British Champion Ethan Hayter, James Knox, Luke Lamperti, and Paul Magnier – one of the most promising young riders in the World Tour, who’ll make his Grand Tour debut. The race, which starts from Durres and concludes in Rome, takes in 37 kilometers of individual time trial, 30 kilometers of gravel roads, and around a dozen mountain stages, featuring climbs such as Passo del Tonale, Mortirolo, Colle delle Finestre or Sestriere.

“There are a lot of demanding stages, especially those in the final week, where everything can happen, which means we need to be attentive the entire time. We have a good and motivated team for this first Grand Tour of the year. Mikel will lead the squad’s GC ambitions, while Paul will try to be involved in the bunch sprints. We know it’s going to be a hard race, but we are ready to do our best”, said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Davide Bramati.

And here's the Giro d'Italia preview from Team Visma | Lease a Bike:

The first Grand Tour of the season kicks off in Albania with the Giro d’Italia. Team Visma | Lease a Bike arrives with a well-balanced squad, ready to fight for stage wins every day. Simon Yates is the team’s key rider for the general classification.

“This year’s Giro features a very well-balanced route, with interesting stages for every type of rider. And we’re starting with a team made up of many different types of riders,” says sports director Marc Reef as he looks ahead to the Giro d’Italia, which begins Friday in Durrës, Albania. “Our biggest goal as a team is to chase stage victories. With Wout van Aert, Olav Kooij, and Simon Yates, we have three leaders who have already proven they can win a stage in a Grand Tour. With them, we should be able to compete on all terrains.”

Wout van Aert checking out the 2025 Tour of Flanders race course. Sirotti photo

Sprinting
Starting with the bunch sprints, Kooij will be the designated leader. The Dutch homegrown sprinter won his first Grand Tour stage in Naples last year during the Giro. “It’s really special to return there now in stage six,” says Kooij. “I’m looking forward to sprinting again for the stage win. But of course, there are many other opportunities for a bunch sprint. I want to fight for the win every time. The team gives me that confidence, and that means a lot.”

“For the flat sprints, Olav is our best chance at a stage win,” Van Aert adds. “It’s only logical that we support him in those stages, and I’ll do everything I can to position him well for the finish. Personally, I’m targeting the more demanding stages. That could mean a sprint from a reduced group or a long breakaway. The Giro traditionally offers plenty of those types of stages. I’m really excited to finally make my debut in the Giro d’Italia. We all know what happened last year, so I’m especially glad to finally be here. Racing in Italy always gives me a special feeling.”

With nine stage wins in the Tour de France and three in the Vuelta a España, the Giro d’Italia — which Van Aert has never raced — is the missing piece in completing a Grand Tour stage win trilogy. “So that’s definitely a goal this month. I’ve also worn the leader’s jersey in both the Tour and the Vuelta. It would be a dream to wear the pink jersey in the Giro as well.”

General Classification
That leaves the mountain stages, where Yates will be Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s most prominent rider, supported by Wilco Kelderman and Steven Kruijswijk, among others. “The Giro is my main goal this season, so I’m really looking forward to it,” says Yates. “It’s a special race for me, full of history and memories — both good and bad. My goal is to achieve the best possible result in the general classification.”

This Giro marks Yates’ first Grand Tour with Team Visma | Lease a Bike. “A lot still feels new and different since my move to a new team — the first time in my professional career — but I feel like I’ve made a lot of progress over the past few months. In both races I’ve done this season, I felt stronger each day. It’s exciting to start my first Grand Tour with Team Visma | Lease a Bike, and I’m highly motivated — not just for my personal goals, but also because we have a very strong team with multiple leaders, allowing us to fight for something in nearly every stage.”

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More Giro team announcements coming tomorrow.

Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary