As we all celebrate the start of the most legendary Grand Tour, let’s not forget that the Giro d’Italia Women kicks off this Sunday as well, with a 14.2 km individual time trial in the heart of Bergamo. So, for the first week, we’ll be treated to a double dose of racing: the women competing for the pink jersey while the men ramp up toward the decisive final week of the Tour. You can catch both races on HBO Max and follow live updates on ProCyclingStats.
The showdown we’ve all been waiting for
Like so many fans, I’m impatiently anticipating the battle between two of the sport’s biggest legends: Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard. That duel alone could make this Tour unforgettable—but I’m just as curious to see how riders like Remco Evenepoel, Primož Roglič, and Enric Mas will find their own opportunities to shine. Can they upset the balance? Put the main contenders in tactically difficult situations? Anything is possible in a race like this.
It’s no secret that Visma–Lease a Bike and UAE Team Emirates have the strongest lineups in support of their leaders. But that just makes me even more excited to see how the other teams respond. Who will rise to the occasion and leave their mark on this year’s Tour?
Why the Tour is unlike anything else
The Tour de France is unlike any other race on the calendar. The media attention is massive, the fan presence along the roads is overwhelming in the best way, and the stakes are sky-high. For sponsors, visibility matters every single day, which means the racing is harder, faster, and more intense from the gun.
We always talk about the yellow jersey, but within the peloton, there are so many races happening at once. You have teams targeting the green jersey with their sprinters, others chasing breakaways in hopes of a stage win, and riders focusing solely on surviving the chaos of the first week. Sometimes it takes two full hours of racing just for the day’s break to establish—imagine how many attacks and counters that involves. The intensity never lets up.
Classic-style chaos in week one
The first week this year looks like a dream for fans of classic-style racing: narrow roads, sharp climbs, short descents, and plenty of opportunities for aggressive racing. These are the kind of stages that could suit someone like Mathieu van der Poel or even Wout van Aert if he’s got the form.
We’ll also get our first proper sprint showdowns—Milan vs. Philipsen vs. Girmay should be super exciting to watch. And then there’s Stage 5, the individual time trial. It’s 33 kilometres long, which is enough to open real gaps between the GC riders. I’m especially curious to see how Pogačar has improved since finishing fourth in the Dauphiné time trial, where he lost a bit of time to Vingegaard. And of course, this is a big opportunity for Remco, who will no doubt be looking to grab a few precious seconds.
That first week of a Grand Tour is always a rollercoaster. It’s not just physically demanding, it’s also emotionally exhausting. The peloton is on edge, positioning battles are constant, and crashes are unfortunately very common. We’ve seen many top riders lose their chance at the Tour before the mountains even begin. I really hope everyone makes it through safely, it’s a chaotic world inside that bunch, and my heart is with them.
Turning to the Giro d’Italia Women
Now let’s talk about the Giro Donne, which covers eight stages this year—and let me tell you, it’s the hardest edition yet. There’s almost no opportunity for sprinters, maybe just one chance on Stage 5. I’m especially looking forward to Stage 4, which finishes with a brutal summit in Pianezze. That’s where we’ll likely see big time gaps and a major reshuffling of the GC.
I’m super curious to see how Elisa Longo Borghini will defend her title against the depth of SD Worx, especially with Anna van der Breggen back directing the team and stars like Lotte Kopecky, Marlen Reusser, Antonia Niedermaier, and Juliette Labous in the mix. And let’s not forget Évita Muzic, who’s been building great form.
While the Giro doesn’t finish on Stage 4, that mountain day could be the moment the race is won, or at least reshaped entirely.
Scouting my competition
As for me, watching these hard Giro stages is more than just entertainment. It’s also race prep. I’ll be watching closely to see how my rivals for the Tour ride, how they attack, how they position themselves, how they recover. I need to study them to understand their strengths, their weaknesses, and how I can use that information to my advantage.
The Tour is getting closer, and every small detail matters.
