"I was pulling for two and a half hours at over 340 normalised watts" - Lidl-Trek workhorse reveals all on brutal life as a breakaway chaser at the Giro d'Italia

There are few more brutal jobs in the cycling work than to be one of the riders assigned to do the donkey work at the front of the peloton, controlling the gap to the breakaway and ensuring their team leader gets the chance for a stage win. At the 2025 Giro d'Italia, a constant presence at the head of the race has been Jacopo Mosca, riding in service of Mads Pedersen.

"We always start with a plan, with a clear strategy. And if everything goes smoothly, I know exactly what I need to do. Sometimes it might be a bit more or a bit less — it depends on how the race unfolds or if it's a good day or not," reflects Mosca on the first rest day, in conversation with Bici.Pro. "If I think back to the first two stages: in the first one, my job was to pull until after the Red Bull Kilometre, basically right at the entrance to Tirana — and that’s exactly what I did. When you’re part of a strong team, you know your role, and you know that someone else will take over when you're done."

Whilst most of the work done by Mosca will go under the radar, the Italian himself is well aware how important it is that he does his job well. "I'm able to go above and beyond — maybe saving a teammate’s legs for the final part of the race," he explains. "After 50 or 60 kilometres, more teams might come to the front to fight for position, and that forces you to push harder if you want to stay in control, even if ideally you'd rather save some energy."

As for just how hard Mosca pulls, the numbers say it all. "Pulling at the front, I did two and a half hours at over 340 normalized watts, with an average of 305. That’s about 5.2 watts per kilo," he recalls from one of the early stages at the 2025 Giro d'Italia. "Not impossible—but definitely solid numbers, especially over that long a stretch. And the course wasn’t easy."

On these long days of power riding at the front of the peloton, motivation is key for Mosca. "He (Mads Pedersen ed.) tells us if he wants to go harder or ease up, based on how he’s feeling. In those moments, guys like Carlos Verona or Patrick Konrad — who’s finished top 10 in Grand Tours — really show you the level this team is at. Or Giulio Ciccone, who makes a move that only he could make," says Mosca. "It’s clear that Mads sets the pace. And honestly, in the form he’s in, he could probably stay with the top 30 even on climbs."

"The team car’s input is crucial. They’re watching everything from behind and give us updates: 'Okay guys, X number of riders are getting dropped,' or 'Everyone’s comfortable in the draft — you’re not dropping anyone.' That info is important. And knowing you’re pulling for a guy like Mads — who’s in form and knows how to finish — it gives you confidence," Mosca continues.

Because of this work though, Mosca himself is often not around to see Pedersen crossing the line. "I was in a gruppetto about 7–8 km from the finish, and I heard a cheer over the race radio. I had actually already gone back to the second team car to ask. Then I heard the shout on the radio and the car honking to celebrate — that’s when I knew we’d won," he recalls of stage 3. "It’s such a good feeling when your team leader is confident and determined — because then you know your work actually means something."