“It was a long time without a victory for me. I really needed this" - Giulio Ciccone's faith is restored following Tour of the Alps stage win

The opening stage of the 2025 Tour of the Alps was a chaotic one, not exactly helped by a distinct lack of coverage due to inclement weather in the region. With the cameras at the finish line working however, those who stuck with the TV coverage will have seen Lidl-Trek leader Giulio Ciccone power his way to a very impressive stage win.

“It was a long time without a victory for me. I really needed this today," the proud Italian reflected afterwards, having overcome the challenge of closest rivals - Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale duo Felix Gall and Paul Seixas on the final rise to the line in San Lorenzo Dorsino. "I think also it’s even more special in Italy. After a long time in altitude, it's always good to restart the racing with a victory.”

“Honestly, it was really, really hard. We went super fast from the start. I'm really, really happy,” continues the 30-year-old who will start stage 2 in the leader's jersey as a result of his 11th pro victory. “I think we did a great job today. Yeah, I really need to say thanks to all my teammates. We had a plan and I think we did it in the perfect way.”