"It's logical that he won't do the Giro" - Tadej Pogacar will not be in Albania, says Giro d'Italia director

Mauro Vegni, the director of the Giro d'Italia, was one of the main protagonists of the late presentation of the Corsa Rosa. The 2025 route was the last to be presented but it presented quite a lot of novelty, with a bet on mountain stages that feature it's main climbs far from the finish, together with the addition of endurance-focused mountain days.  

In words collected by the EFE agency, he commented the following about the race: "It will be a very hard race. The riders will be the ones who will make it difficult, but we have prepared a route for all types of cyclists. Three weeks that will go 'in crescendo' to reach the last week and decide the winner."

He believes that beyond the toughest four mountain stages (stages 16, 17, 19 and 20) the 2025 Giro d'Italia has other difficulties for the riders that will make them race on the attack, including of course the Strade Bianche stage on the 9th day of the race that can be crucial for the overall classification.

"There are not only uphill finishes, which are already difficult by nature. We have many stages to make it difficult for all the riders. It's a course adapted to any type of attack. Hopefully there will be attackers ready to give the show to the people."

Finally, he practically ruled out Tadej Pogacar for the Corsa Rosa, as he believes he will race the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España this season, so he will not be in the Grande Partenza in Albania:

"There is no official news, but let's say he has let it slip that this year he will probably only do the Tour and La Vuelta, so it's logical that he won't do the Giro. There are no cyclists who do the 3 Grand Tours. In 2024 he did Giro and Tour. This year Tour and Vuelta. That's it, no more. But the Giro is not only Pogacar. There are many actors and they will put on the show that we think is fair to make it an enjoyable edition for the spectators."