“Coming back in the final will be hard with a technical circuit” – Groves excited for Giro d’Italia stage with sprinting chance
Cycling
Stage 18 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia offers something rarely
seen in week 3, a chance for the sprinters. The profile isn’t entirely flat,
but after a brutal sequence of mountain stages and GC drama, the peloton’s fast
men will be eager to take advantage of a stage that could swing their way, if
the breakaway can be controlled.
Among the top contenders is Australia’s Kaden Groves, who
already claimed victory earlier in the race on the streets of Naples. Speaking
to Cycling Pro Net before the stage, Groves was clear about his
ambitions, “Sprint or breakaway day? For us, we go for the sprint,” he said.
“But I think on paper it's a breakaway day.”
Groves acknowledged the difficulty of managing the
unpredictable dynamics that have characterised the third week. “Controlling the
breakaway is the most important thing for us,” he explained. “We need to make
sure the composition is something that suits us, where other rival sprint teams
are not represented.”
The situation on the road will dictate everything, and the
Alpecin man knows he needs allies. “I would hope two or three [teams help],” he
said. “We obviously plan to mark Trek, Visma, and DSM in the beginning because
they also have sprinters.”
But recent trends haven’t always been favouring the
sprinters. Breakaways have had some success, and Groves knows his team must
respond differently today. “The way that this last week's been going, with the
big, big breakaways going, that’s something that will not suit us,” he
admitted.
Then there’s the finale itself: a flat, fast run-in on the
outskirts of Milan with a twist. “Controlling is one thing,” Groves said, “but
coming back in the final will be hard with a technical circuit.” He’s referring
to the series of corners late in the stage, including one just 700 metres from
the line. “The breakaway needs to be back before the circuit because with the
technical corners it’s so hard to close the gap.”
Despite the challenges, Groves sounded relaxed about the
final kilometre. “It’s pretty straightforward… from the last kilometre, the
final 800m [is] more or less flat,” he noted. “It’s not super important to be
really far forward or something, so timing is super important to launch the
sprint.”
Groves already has one win in the bag, but he’s not resting
on it. “Of course, it helps to take the pressure off,” he admitted. “But we
treat today like as if we hadn’t already got a win and we go for it.”
With only today and the final stage in Rome offering
opportunities for the fast finishers, Groves knows this is one of just two
remaining chances. And if he can survive the next two mountain days, he could
be in contention for both.
As for the GC battle raging in the high mountains, Groves
confessed he hasn’t been able to follow it closely. “From what I’ve been told,
it’s been a super nice battle to watch. Obviously I haven’t been able to see
anything,” he said with a laugh. “But Del Toro is putting on a show and I wish
him and the rest of the GC contenders good legs for these coming two days.”
Yesterday, on stage 17, Isaac del Toro took the win and
bounced back after a difficult day on Tuesday, to extend his lead over Richard
Carapaz and Simon Yates. The GC battle will re-start tomorrow, but today should
be a day the battle for the Maglia rosa takes a momentary break.
Pressed on his pick for the pink jersey, Groves didn’t
hesitate: “I think Del Toro will hold on.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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