“I arrived with my energy reserves not completely full”: Damiano Caruso reflects on tough Giro-Tour double as retirement nears

Damiano Caruso may have completed what is expected to be his final Tour de France as a rider, but the 38-year-old leaves with no regrets. The Bahrain - Victorious veteran admitted the race was tougher than he had anticipated after riding the Giro d'Italia, reflected on helping Lenny Martinez, shared advice for Antonio Tiberi, and confirmed he is already looking forward to beginning a new career as a sports director.

Caruso described the 2026 Tour as an unforgettable experience despite struggling to reach his best level during the opening half of the race.

“It was a beautiful experience from the start in Barcelona,” Caruso said in words to bici.pro. “It was a very demanding Tour, especially during the first eleven days. I suffered a lot because of the heat, but once the temperatures dropped I started to feel better. Even so, I had hoped to arrive with better legs.”

The Sicilian believes riding both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France prevented him from arriving in France fully recovered.

“I realised once again that the Tour is a race you need to prepare for in a very specific way,” he explained. “Coming from the Giro and then racing the Tour wasn't the best decision for me. I arrived with my energy reserves not completely full.”

Although his own ambitions were limited, Caruso was satisfied with the work he did in support of teammate Lenny Martinez.

“I managed to be useful to my teammates, some days more than others,” he said. “It's still a wonderful experience. Racing another Tour de France and climbing iconic mountains like Alpe d'Huez makes all the suffering worthwhile.”

Caruso also reflected on Antonio Tiberi's first Tour de France, having originally been selected partly because the young Italian wanted the experienced veteran by his side. The Bahrain Victorious rider believes the difficult race will ultimately benefit Tiberi.

“There's not much to say,” Caruso explained. “The important thing is to take the experience home. Antonio has understood that the Tour de France is no game and that nothing comes easily. Everything has to be earned.”

Looking ahead, Caruso hopes Tiberi returns with an even greater appreciation of what the race demands. “I think it was right for him to target the Tour this year,” he said. “Now he fully understands what this race represents. When he comes back, he has to make sure he arrives at the highest level possible.”

He also stressed that natural talent alone is no longer enough to succeed at cycling's biggest race. “The riders here are the most talented in the world,” Caruso added. “But they don't just rely on talent, they develop it constantly. Talent alone is no longer enough. You need total dedication, and if Tiberi follows that path, he can achieve great things.”

With retirement approaching, Caruso revealed he already feels prepared to swap the bike for the team car. “Yes, a new chapter is about to begin,” he said. “I'm ready, more than ready. I feel this is the right moment.”

The Italian confirmed he is open to starting with Bahrain Victorious' development team if that's where the opportunity comes. “Why not? That's definitely possible,” he explained. “I'm open to every solution. I want to begin this new stage of my life with complete peace of mind. I know I'll have to study and learn because many things will be different. If I start with the under-23 riders, that won't be a problem at all.”

Despite expecting the Tour to be his final Grand Tour, Caruso admitted he has not yet decided exactly when he will end his racing career. “That's a good question,” he smiled. “Honestly, I don't know either. The idea was to finish at the Tour, but the team still needs me.”

The final decision will come after a well-earned break. “We agreed that we'd talk again after the holidays,” Caruso concluded. “Now I'll enjoy two weeks at home with my family, and then we'll decide together how to bring my career to an end.”