Date: Friday, May 9, 2025
Distance: 160km
Start location: Durrës
Finish location: Tirana
Start time: 13:10 CEST
Finish time: 17:14 CEST (approx.)
The Giro d’Italia might be venturing into new, uncharted territory by starting in Albania for the first time in the race’s 116-year history, but many of the sights and landscapes presided over will be recognisable as quintessential to the race. The familiar stark blue hues of the Adriatic Sea will be the backdrop to stage one’s roll out from Durrës, albeit to the west rather than the east, while one of the port city’s main attractions is a Roman amphitheatre built in the second century AD, after the Roman conquest.
Yet while the influence of Roman culture to the west is apparent in this sense, so too is that from the east. Durrës (or Dyrrachium as it was known in Roman times) was the first city on the Via Egnatia, the huge Roman road that passes through the Southern Balkans before finishing at Constantinople, now Istanbul. Centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, the Ottomans travelled the reverse direction along the Via Egnatia to conquer what is now Albania, and their Turkish influence is prevalent everywhere — from its Islamic religion and architecture, to the prominence of Turkish coffee to their culture, and dishes like Tavë kosi (lamb baked with rice) in their cuisine.
Another aspect of Albania that will feel familiar to the Giro is its topography. This is a mountainous country, with hills and peaks found in every area and giving it a remarkable variety of ecosystems for a country of its size, and, pertinent to the Giro, giving the organisers plenty of scope to design an opening stage that’s got plenty of complications and intrigue. After a flat opening 70km upon heading south out of Durrës and then eastwards further inland, they will ascend to the summit of Gracen, which, exceeding 13km and rising at a not insignificant average of 5.1%, is insolently difficult for what is the first climb of a Grand Tour.
That will wear the riders' legs and already put the pure sprinters at risk of being dropped out of contention, but the climb that will be most decisive is the 6.9km Surrel. Tackled both laps of the 23km finishing circuit, its 4.6% slopes could either see the peloton reduced to a significantly small group in which only the best climbers among the fast finishers survive, or potentially be the springboard for a stage-winning attack out of the peloton. With an 11km descent taking the riders from the top of the climb to the finish in Tirana, the balance seems delicate between whether the attackers or sprinters will succeed, so many riders will go into this stage fancying their chances of being garlanded in pink in the nation’s capital.
Contenders
The contenders to take the first maglia rosa are divided between those who have to attack on the final climb to get away and those who have to survive the ascent to launch a sprint. The sprinters looking to hang onto the group include Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike), and Sam Bennett (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale). All three of them would be considered pure sprinters, but are capable of surviving the gradients on offer on stage one.
Mads Pedersen may be considered to be more of a versatile sprinter, and after a strong Classics campaign, he will be in with a shout of getting another Giro stage to add to his first in 2023. His Lidl-Trek teammate Mathias Vacek could be a threat if he were given the freedom to attack, but it is likely he will be leading out Pedersen. Similarly, Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) will most likely be looking after his sprinter Kooij, but could be an option if the Dutchman is dropped. Soudal–Quick-Step's 21-year-old puncheur Paul Magnier is starting his first Grand Tour and will likely feature high up on the sprint stages.
The attackers will struggle to hold off the squads of Alpecin, Visma, Trek and Decathlon, but there may be a few who strike out. Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) could fancy his chances but may save himself for later stages which suit him better, Likewise, Israel-Premier Tech have brought a team of attackers with one eye on keeping Derek Gee on GC, but a rider like Marco Frigo may have a go.
Whatever the race situation, expect most of the peloton to continue pushing right to the line to stay in touching distance of grasping the maglia rosa in the upcoming stages, including a time trial on stage two.
Prediction
We're expecting Olav Kooij of Visma-Lease a Bike to take the win today and with it the first pink jersey. He has a strong team around him including Wout van Aert and can climb well.
