“I thought maybe a few more would commit" - Pello Bilbao attacking but unsuccessful on stage 3 of 2025 Giro d'Italia

Pello Bilbao showed his attacking instincts in Stage 3 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia. The Bahrain Victorious rider launched a move alongside Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana Team) on the day’s key climb, but the determined chase by the sprint teams quickly neutralized their efforts. Realizing the break had little chance of success, the pair sat up and rejoined the peloton.

Speaking after the stage, the 35-year-old Basque rider reflected on the decision to go on the offensive, explaining to Cycling Pro Net: “I felt a bit better today and was motivated to try something if the opportunity came up. We rode well on the climb with Fortunato, but on the descent I didn’t feel fully confident — the road surface was tricky, so I didn’t want to take unnecessary risks."

"The final 30 kilometres weren’t suited to two light climbers, so we decided to ease off. The move wasn’t going anywhere, but sometimes it’s better to be up front in case something happens — a crash, a split, anything," Bilbao added. "In the end, I was also able to help my teammates get into a good position. They finished safely without having to take too many chances, so we’ve come through these first three days in good shape.”

Bilbao also noted that the lack of additional riders joining the breakaway limited its potential, though he was understanding of the circumstances: “I thought maybe a few more would commit to the move, which would’ve given it more life. But I understand that after a hard time trial yesterday, most of the GC riders wanted to conserve energy and play it safe through these early stages.”