Much more than the roglic vs ayuso duel

The countdown is over. The heart of Albania It beats stronger than ever on the eve of the great start of the Giro d’Italia 2025, that will take off this Friday with a stage between Durazzo y Tirana. The 108th edition of the Pink race It promises emotions in abundance, with a route that will cross the transalpine country until it is crowned in Rome on June 1. But, before the first pedal is launched, we already know the 184 cyclists who will give life to this legendary edition.

Roglic and Ayuso, Throne Favorites

All spotlights point to a duel that can mark time. Primoz Roglic, winner of the turn in 2023come back with everything at the head of a Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe which also presents two luxury buzas as Jai Hindley (winner in 2022) and Daniel Felipe Martínez. But the great rival of the Slovenian seems to be Juan Ayuso, the pearl of the UAE Team Emirates that debuts in the test after an outstanding year start. Five victories, including the Tyrrhenian-Adriatic, support their candidacy for pink … and the white one, reserved for young people.

The UAE block will be one of the most powerful with the debutant Isaac of the Toro and the experience of Adam Yates, which predicts battle from the first ramps. The applicants are also illustrious names such as Mikel Landa, Simon Yates, Antonio Tiberi, Pello Bilbao, Giulio Ciccone, David Gaudu, Romain Bardet or the reborn Egan Bernal, champion in 2021.

You will not miss young climbers either wanting to leave their mark like Thymen Arensman, Einer Rubio, Davide Piganzoli or Max Poole. The platoon promises dynamite in each ascent, with specialists such as Damiano Caruso, Wouter Poels, Filippo Carrio, Georg Steinhauser or Koen Bouwman.

Quilates and Classic Hurrow sprinters

The fight for the stages will be fierce. On the one hand, sprinters will play the Cyclamen shirt In massive arrivals. The Dutch Olav Kooij, which already knew what it is to win in Naples, arrives with three wins this year and will be measured to powerful rivals as Kaden Groves, Paul Magnier, Sam Bennett and Matteo Moschetti. Nor should we forget names such as Rick Pluimers, Luca Mozzato or Enrico Zanoncello.

On the other, the Giro will live the expected premiere of two stars of the Pavé in the high Italian mountain: Wout van Aert Y Thomas Pidcockboth debutants. They will also look for off -road corridors as Mads Pedersen, who already won in 2023, Diego Ulissi, Taco Van Der Horn, Jakob Fuglsang, Andrea Vendrame or Davide Formolo.

The chrono also counts

There will be two decisive crons where specialists can make differences. The last two European champions will be present, Edoardo Affini y Joshua Tarlingtogether with names like Mattia Cattaneo, Brandon Mcnulty, Jay Vine O Daan Hole.

Five ex -feators and a living story

In total, five former champions will take the exit in Tirana: Roglic (2023), Hindley (2022), Bernal (2021), Carapaz (2019) and Quintana (2014). All of them will seek to reissue glory or, at least, battle in a career that keeps alive their essence of unpredictable adventure. Everything is prepared. The city of Tirana, which will also host the end of the second stage, dresses up to give the starting gun to an edition that, by names, tour and history, can be unforgettable.