Cycling: 2025 Giro to start in Albania, end in Rome

(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 14 - The 2025 and 108th Giro d'Italia will start in Albania May 9 and end in Rome three weeks later on June 1, after taking a brief detour on the 14th stage into superstar and holder Tadej Pogacar's Slovenia, organisers said in Rome Monday night.
    "It's like a fairy-tale for us," said Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.
    After the first three Albanian stages in Durres, Tirana and Vlore, including a time trial, the race will then crisscross Italy with another time trial, six stages for sprinters, eight medium mountain stages and five high mountain stages, said RCS and Gazzetta dello Sport publisher Urbano Cairo, whose sports daily organises the world's second biggest grand tour after the Tour de France.
    There will be about 38 km of dirt road, including fully 30 km of dirt roads in the final part of the Siena stage and eight on the Colle delle Finestre in the Piedmont Alps which for the third time in its history will also be the 'Cima Coppi' (highest peak) with its 2,178 meters, on the penultimate stage.
    The Montagna Pantani will be the Passo del Mortirolo, while the 'Tappa Bartali' will be the Gubbio-Siena with the finish line in Piazza del Campo.
    The 14th stage will cross the Italian-Slovenian border into Nova Gorica, this year's European Capital of Culture along with the city that was formerly separated from it by the Cold War, Gorizia.
    "The Giro always surprises with many new features," said Italian Cycling Federation President Cordiano Dagnoni.
    "Our cyclists can aim for the stages like the fast ones, then there is (Antonio) Tiberi who can make the ranking because he is maturing, as perhaps also (Gulio) Pellizzari, let's say that our guys, unlike many other foreign phenomena, grow with a slower maturation, but we trust that it will be the right year to be able to see them on the podium".
    But three-time Tour de France winner Pogacar, only the third man after Eddie Merxkx and Stpehen Roche to do the Triple Crown of Giro, Tour and Vuelta last year, and dubbed today's Cannibal like the Belgian legend, is the man to beat.
    Rama went on: "We are a blessed territory, where in a small space there is everything.
    "They will be spectacular stages, which will show off a beautiful part of our country, like in a film".
    Caio, who also owns Corriere della Sera and the La/ broadcaster, added: "It is a film, that of the Giro, which still excites me despite being in my ninth edition as an organizer.
    "And the numbers are always mind-boggling because it is one of the most watched sporting events in the world with 200 countries connected and 700 million people watching it".
    Farm Minister Francesco Lollobrigida said "In short, it is a way to promote Italy", while Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said "sport is not only a social tool but also a way to export Italian products abroad".
    The final sprint in the Italian capital "will be on a route that will touch some points of the Jubilee" said Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri.
    He added: it is "evocative that the Giro will start from Durres and arrive in Rome, a key landmark route in the ancient world".
    "The cyclists, however, want to make history," said Rome's first citizen.
    The presence of Pogacar and his great rival, Jonas Vingegaard, who pipped him to the 2022 and 2023 Tour de France title, are still a little in doubt, while there are those who have already confirmed such as Primoz Roglic (2023 Giro winner), Jay Hindley (2022 winner) and Egan Bernal (2021 winner).
    Then there is also Tiberi, white jersey for best young rider last year, and another fancied home rider, if not for final victory, Giulio Ciccone.
    On Monday night Rome's Auditorium Parco della Musica was also the theatre to unveil the route and present the 36th Giro d'Italia Women.
    Like last year, when the Piedmontese Longo Borghini won, the start of the event will come with a time trial. The race starts in Bergamo on July 6th for a total of eight stages, a difference in altitude of 14,000 meters and a route of 939.6 km that will culminate on the 13th of the same month, in Imola inside the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
    "I will try to be ready for the appointment and winning again is one of the goals for 2025," said Longo Borghini.
    "Last year's was the best victory of my career, I still have shivers". (ANSA).