From Friday, May 9, the Giro d’Italia begins—the first Grand Tour of the year. This 108th edition of the Giro d’Italia starts in Durrës, Albania, and will last about three weeks. This year, there’s no clear top favorite, but of course, there are riders with better chances than others. Read all about it in this article.
Giro d’Italia
The race was conceived in 1908 as a rival to the Tour de France and was first held in 1909. In total, three riders have won the Giro five times: the Italian cycling legends Alfredo Binda and Fausto Coppi, and the Belgian Eddy Merckx.
Last year, only two riders got to wear the pink jersey. Tadej Pogacar was the absolute top favorite for the overall win, but Jhonatan Narváez was the first to wear La Maglia Rosa. The Ecuadorian had to shadow Pogacar for a long time, managed to follow him even in the mountains, and eventually beat him in the sprint. A day later, however, he lost the pink jersey. Pogacar then dominated the Italian roads for a while and eventually finished with a 10-minute lead over second-place Daniel Felipe Martinez. Geraint Thomas came in third. The top Belgian was Mauri Vansevenant in 30th place.
Route
The route of the 108th Giro d’Italia includes at least six sprint stages, two time trials, six mountain stages, and a grueling final week, finishing in Rome. It all begins with a three-day stint in Albania, featuring constant ups and downs. Saturday brings the first time trial. After the opening weekend, the riders head to Italy, and it’s time for the sprinters.
Week 2 kicks off with a flat time trial and ends with the first real mountain stage. In the final week, numerous mountain climbs await, with the Mortirolo and Colle delle Finestre as the most famous names. This makes the final week an enormous challenge. The Giro will conclude with a sprint finish in Rome.
Favorites
Tadej Pogacar will not be racing in the Giro this year, but the top favorite is once again a Slovenian. It appears that Primoz Roglic has a solid chance of winning the Giro d’Italia for a second time. However, with so many strong competitors, it won’t be easy. The Giro is Roglic’s first major goal of 2025, as he’s mainly targeting the Grand Tours—both the Giro and later the Tour de France. Roglic brings a wealth of experience and already has many victories to his name.
His biggest rival might be Juan Ayuso. The young Spaniard has already become a household name in stage races. In his debut year, he finished third in the Vuelta. He seems ready to win a Grand Tour this year, with strong results in the spring including a victory in Tirreno-Adriatico and second place in the Tour of Catalonia—just behind Primoz Roglic. The two will face off again in this Giro, giving Ayuso a shot at revenge.
A notable newcomer in the Giro is Wout Van Aert. The Belgian has been making waves for a while but is riding the Giro d’Italia for the first time. This edition, with several dynamic stages, could suit him well. However, he has recently been dealing with illness, which disrupted his preparation. That’s why we’re eagerly waiting to see what he can bring.
Other Contenders
Even though the expectation is that the 108th Giro d’Italia will come down to a battle between Roglic and Ayuso, there are of course other riders with a shot at victory. One example is Mikel Landa. The 35-year-old Spaniard will likely play a supporting role to Remco Evenepoel in the Tour de France, but in the Giro, he is the team’s number one. He is more of a climber and has already proven himself in stage races multiple times.
Other names to watch include Michael Storer, Thymen Arensman, and Antonio Tiberi. These are three riders who have shown strong performances in various races and, under the right circumstances, can keep up with the best. However, there is a caveat with Tiberi—he had to abandon the Tour of the Alps due to illness, so his preparation for the Giro may not have been ideal.
Magic Betting Live
Can’t get enough of cycling? Check out the Magic Betting App or visit the website www.magicbetting.be for the best online sports betting options. Be sure to explore the various promotional offers. Take your chance and win!
