Damiano Caruso expects great things from teammate at Giro d'Italia: "I have promised him a statue if he wins"

After last year's dominance of a Slovenian phantasm at the Giro d'Italia, the 2025 edition can write a completely different story with a wide range of candidates for victory. Runner-up from 2021 Damiano Caruso thinks that Bahrain - Victorious have the right champion who can conquest the Corsa Rosa.

"I'm fine," he tells Bici.Pro with a smile from Tour of the Alps, the final test of legs for him and team leader Antonio Tiberi, before their depart for Giro d'Italia. "All in all, the feelings are good. These stages at the Tour of the Alps have confirmed it."

"I knew I was coming to race after a good block of work at altitude, so I was looking for some answers in the race and I think they've arrived. I'm not 100 percent yet but I'm fine with that, my goal is the Giro and I hope to be ready for those three weeks. At the moment I can say that I'm exactly where I wanted to be. It was the ideal approach."

Frankly those words didn't apply for Tiberi who was forced to withdrew after first stage due to stomach problems. "Unfortunately, the slowdown came in the last few days with Antonio's stop, but that can happen. We are all human beings. Maybe something will change for him in these days but in general we are on schedule," Caruso calms any panic.

With Tiberi among their ranks, Bahrain - Victorious is not shy when it comes to ambitions for upcoming Giro. Tiberi already climbed into the top-5 last year. And with Tadej Pogacar out of the equation, podium seems like a realistic goal.

"The mentality with which we approach the races leads us to seek the best possible result. It's no secret that with Tiberi we're aiming for the podium. My role will be to stay by his side during this climb. I won't deny that I'd also like to get some personal satisfaction. To be completely honest, I'd also like to win a stage. My main goal is to ride a Giro in which I can have fun and give my best every day."

"I have been lucky enough to work with great champions and the attitude is exactly this: starting to win. It seems that Tiberi also has this attitude, he has to prove it. But the attitude is right. I have always been more modest, not that he is arrogant because he is not like that. I am referring to the goal, for me the podium is really within reach if then Tiberi manages to amaze everyone, so be it."

"I have always told him one thing: I have never won a Grand Tour with a captain, so if he can give me this gift before he quits, I have promised him a statue."