Wout Van Aert dreams of pink jersey after first recon ride on Albanian soil

The time of year is almost there - we're counting hours until the start of the first Grand Tour of 2025. All key protagonists are already present in Albania where the Grande Partenza will take place on Friday.

And the organizers didn't hold back when it comes to parcours, having prepared two hard climbing stages and a time trial in the country's debut on world cycling scene. A perfect set up for Wout Van Aert who realistically can aim to wear pink at the weekend.

Along with whole Visma | Lease a Bike, the Belgian took a first stroll along the Albanian roads this evening. While the roads Van Aert visited during his 70-kilometer ride north of Tirana won't be a part of the Giro d'Italia, it is never a bad idea to get a taste of local asphalt.

Friday's stage starting in Durrës will cover three categorized climbs - first the Gracen (12 km at 5.9%) and then twice the Surrel (7 km at 4.5%) on a circuit near the finish city Tirana. While for purer climbers this will be too much of a treat, the versatile rider of Wout Van Aert's caliber can certainly dream about spriting for victory at the end of the day.

And as if it wasn't enough, the Belgian is also favourite in Saturday's 13.7-kilometer time trial in the streets of Tirana...