Antonio Tiberi plays it safe in Giro time trial after Landa’s horror crash: “I knew I would take as few risks as possible”

Antonio Tiberi may not have lit up the results sheet on Stage 2 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia, but the 23-year-old Bahrain – Victorious rider left the time trial in Tirana with no regrets. In a cautious and calculated performance, Tiberi prioritised safety over speed following a crash-heavy opening stage that saw Mikel Landa taken out of the race.

The 13.7km individual time trial featured a series of technical corners and high-speed transitions, a recipe for risk. For Tiberi, who finished fifth overall at last year’s Giro and claimed the young rider classification, the decision to hold back was deliberate.

"I'm actually quite happy with my time trial," Tiberi said after the stage. "It wasn't a course that really suits me. Many technical corners and an explosive rhythm, those are not the time trials that I often feel at home in. I almost saw Edoardo Affini crash, and a little later Luke Plapp really crashed. When I was at the start myself, I immediately thought about my own safety and I knew that I would take as few risks as possible."

Tiberi has proven himself a capable time trialist this season. He finished third in the Volta ao Algarve time trial and posted another strong result with fourth at Tirreno–Adriatico. But with the Giro just beginning and memories of Landa’s crash fresh in every rider’s mind, Tiberi made the call to ride conservatively.

"I didn't want to take any risks. The Giro is still long, and this time trial was relatively short. I think I can be satisfied with my performance and with the decision to keep a cool head," he concluded.