Kaden Groves ready to lead Alpecin-Deceuninck at the Giro d’Italia: “I had to skip the classics due to an injury”
Cycling
Alpecin-Deceuninck have enjoyed another superb spring
campaign, once again driven by the brilliance of Mathieu van der Poel. But as
the 2025 Grand Tour season begins with the Giro d’Italia, the Belgian team turn
to a different leader: fast-finishing Australian Kaden Groves.
With both Van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen skipping the
Italian Grand Tour, Groves heads the team’s charge. The 26-year-old sprinter
comes in without the ideal preparation, having missed key races due to a knee
injury. However, that has done little to dim his ambition heading into the race
tomorrow.
"It's going well. I've been able to prepare myself
quite well for altitude, but I haven't raced for a while now. I had to skip the
classics due to an injury," he told CyclingProNet. "I'm
starting with some doubts about this Giro, but I'm happy to be here."
Groves has not raced since March’s Volta a Catalunya, but
he’s no stranger to success at the Giro. He won a stage in the 2023 edition and
followed that up with superb results at the Vuelta a Espana, where he claimed
the points classification in both 2023 and 2024.
“In modern cycling, every rider goes on an altitude training
camp. It is what it is. The past has shown that it works for me. We believe in
this approach,” Groves explained, underlining his trust in the team’s
preparation despite a lack of racing miles in recent months.
Now, with the Giro underway, Groves is hoping for another
breakthrough moment. "The Giro is always one of the biggest races of the
season. I've won a stage there and have achieved a number of podium places. The
stages in the Giro are often quite unpredictable. Several riders can win here,
and there are opportunities for the escapees. I'm hoping for a great
race."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- I hope 2027 is his year.mij03-11-2026
- why does he have to? many GT riders from Froome to Contador to Indurain didn't do them.mij03-11-2026
- I think Jonas would have lost the TDF by 4+ minutes (at the least) and might not have even been in the top 3. Too much talent in the younger riders to say anyone not named Pogačar would have been top 3md197503-11-2026
- this is just stupid. you already have 23%, gravel is over the topabstractengineer03-11-2026
- There was once a time when Lance was supremely popular and he used his artificial "It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life" persona to lead his mob in going after Greg. There was no one Lance did not abuse in protecting his phony hero image. Lance promoted himself as a divine megastar and he let down millions of cancer victims and gullible devotees who clung far too long to the charade. Lance is the epitome of a corrupt person and because of his power, many around him, including business enterprises, succumbed to the evil. All who got in Armstrong's way were mercilessly attacked by him and his minions. This remarkably continues today with a new generation. LeMond was a number one enemy and paid a huge price. Who do you think slandered who?Yepperoni03-11-2026
- You despise him because he calls out the truth....OK clown !frieders303-11-2026
- JV is really slighting himself with not doing the 1 dayers.. 🤷
leedorney02-11-2026 - Watch the interview on youtube. I don't speak French. I do speak English and Spanish and you can hear it in his voice. Years ago LeMond had real personal problems I imagine in no small part because of Armstrong. then Armstrong goes round "full blast" re: LeMond having drinking and drug problems. The same way Andreu was expelled from mainstream cycling so was LeMond. On the positive side the clips of the ride and chatting with old teammates and was good. To seemed like a fun day and experience and good reason brush up his French.atom02-11-2026
- and another no-news article around the ‚2 tokyo jogging rounds‘ headline, this time spiced with some days old ‚news‘ that the LA and japan vacation trips come during or after the tdf route release. i am getting more and more annoyed by this time-stealing no-news crap. but who am i to complain? nobody forces me to come back for more ‚news‘ day after day …Ketterechts02-11-2026
- It would likely be a very steep section of 4.1 km, not changing the average gradient considerably, with the climb remaining 10.1 km at 11.8%. It would reach 20% on the gravel. It would start 1.6 km in, and finish with 4.2 km left to climb (before the short final descent)
Rafionain-Glas02-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment