"We want La Vuelta to continue growing and discover new territories" - Javier Guillen reveals Italian start to 2025 edition is likely

Although the Giro d'Italia is fresh in the rear view mirror and the Tour de France is quickly approaching, for Javier Guillen, the Vuelta a Espana is always front and centre of the mind. The race organiser also has eluded to some exciting plans for the race's future.

"We want La Vuelta to continue growing, with its international expansion, and discover new territories," Guillen says in conversation with AS, revealing how talks are well underway for an Italian Grand Depart at the 2025 Vuelta a Espana. "I can confirm that what the Piedmont region published, showing its interest in hosting the 2025 departure, is true and is what we are working on."

Although official confirmation is still a little way off, Guillen is excited about the prospect of taking the Vuelta a Espana to Italy. "We would like it very much, because Italy is a cycling country that this year will also host the start of the Tour de France (starts in Florence on June 29th ed.) and we would love for La Vuelta to be present in the territory," he explains. "Conversations, intense work and, if everything goes well, it will be a great joy. Official confirmations will come, when they occur, from both parties, but I am very happy to say that La Vuelta and Piedmont are getting closer."

It seems a modern theme of Grand Tour cycling to have to opening to the race in a different country. "It was happening in the other grand tours and we, who had been doing it less, have also jumped on the bandwagon. I think it is important in terms of the internationalization of the race and also in terms of highlighting the event," says Guillen. "We are lucky that we can have the same competition start in a foreign country and, later, take place in Spain, and few competitions can do that. It is a great responsibility as an event and as a country. We are very excited about this departure from Portugal, as we did in the previous ones and also as we will do in Monaco in 2026."

Although Tadej Pogacar recently insisted he won't be making his way to the Vuelta later this year, Guillen is excited for the prospect of an exciting Red Jersey battle. "We have a great journey and, from what I am getting, I think we will have a great participation. Last year's winner, Sepp Kuss, has already confirmed that he will come to fight for the defense of his title, and that is very important for us. Hopefully the two who were with him on the podium (Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic) can accompany him, there are quite a few chances of that being the case," he concludes. "Now it's time for the Tour de France, and everything good that goes for them will be good for La Vuelta. As a fan I am also counting the days."