GIRO D'ITALIA 2025, NEW WHITE JERSEY FOR BEST YOUNG RIDER PRESENTED. GALLERY

GIRO D'ITALIA | 19/12/2024 | 15:30
di Federico Guido
Besides light and purity, white has always been considered an emblem of hope for the future, a concept that RCS Sport, the organizer of the Giro d'Italia 2025, fully embraced by choosing this color for the jersey reserved for the best young rider of the Pink Race since its reintroduction in 2007.

Won last year by Antonio Tiberi (the first Italian to do so since Fabio Aru in 2015), this brilliant banner will also stand out in the colorful peloton in 2025 and will easily identify the rider, born from January 1st, 2000 onwards, who leads the specialty classification.

However, it will not be an "all-white" jersey that will be worn next year, as there will be some spots of different shades breaking the monochrome. Particularly standing out will be the red of the Castelli scorpion (also the technical supplier of the jersey in 2025) and the red, accompanied by yellow and orange, of the new sponsor Conad, a well-known supermarket brand that this year decided to enter the caravan by putting its name on one of the race's symbolic jerseys.

"This is the most important sporting event in Italy, an event that is among the people and with which we share many values," said Giuseppe Zuliani, Conad's Customer Marketing and Communication Director, during the jersey presentation press conference held at the ADI Museum in Milan. "The first is the territory, which for us is the territory presided over by our companies, by those who own the store and do business at the local level, a territory where the entrepreneur must be the protagonist. We believe the Giro d'Italia best interprets this dimension. The second are the young people, our future customers, the future of the community, and those on whom we have focused our attention both as Conad and as a foundation. We think that supporting the future is something that such an important company must do, including by supporting sports. Last but not least, there is well-being. People want to take care of themselves, want to be aware in their purchasing choices, but also in the choices they make every day in their lives, and I think this marriage with the Giro can truly emphasize this value."

RCS Sports & Events CEO and General Manager Paolo Bellino and RCS Mediagroup President Urbano Cairo also appeared satisfied with this partnership. "The white jersey and the Giro d'Italia are, in my opinion, a perfect combination for the principles and methods we just mentioned," said Bellino. "The Giro d'Italia is the most important event in Italy and touches all countries. We have 450 municipalities in our route, and between the start and finish of the Giro, there are 3,500 km of route, so we truly welcome and pass through all municipalities. We have 10 million Italians who come to see the toughest race in the world in the most beautiful country in the world, which is the free event with the highest public participation in Italy, as about 500,000 spectators crossing the street can go and see the Giro. All the elements are there, the combination with Conad, in my opinion, is perfect."

"The white jersey is the element that rewards the strongest young rider participating in the Giro d'Italia, worn by the greatest cycling champions, especially in the past when young champions wore it, while today it is more often worn by already established champions. In 2024, Tiberi won it, but in previous years, those who won the jersey also won the race, a sign that the age of participants has dropped significantly. I conclude by saying two things that I think are important: the work we can do is a daily work that goes beyond the race and starts the year before and concludes at the end of the following year. We are a bit late this year, but on January 13th we will present the Giro d'Italia, and although I cannot announce it now, there will be great surprises."

"I am truly happy to be here announcing this partnership with the Giro d'Italia by Conad, a great Italian distribution company," began Urbano Cairo. "The Giro d'Italia is a great sporting event, a great popular event that truly touches millions of people. It clearly has visibility in Italy but also worldwide because we reach a number of countries that increases year by year. It is therefore a great sporting event, a true celebration, and this partnership with a reality that is present in the territory with 320 stores certainly represents something very beautiful."

Then Ivan Basso spoke alongside the two RCS executives. "I never wore the white jersey, but I can say that for young people, it is definitely an objective. When someone starts running, when a child starts running and becomes passionate about cycling, they dream of competing in the Giro d'Italia, and the white jersey is the symbol of when a predestined becomes a future champion. This is an important passage that I experienced. With the Giro d'Italia, it was love at first sight. In 1984, I went with my parents to Verona to see Moser's triumphant arrival: that day, I chose to ride a bicycle. After a long journey, lasting 27 years and made of many kilometers on a bicycle, many beautiful things, many sacrifices but also many joys, I left Verona winning my second Giro d'Italia. I must say that this new partnership is very important, it is a strong signal to a generation that needs to feel that someone believes in them. Today, as was said, the age of winners has dropped significantly. Tiberi, who won the white jersey this year, also finished third in the classification, but there were also two interesting young riders like Davide Piganzoli and Giulio Pelizzari who are already starting to work dreaming of wearing it next year. How important was nutrition in my life? Cycling has had an incredible evolution in recent years, not just in terms of performance. Today, every team has a group of nutritionists, a kitchen truck, a cook, a nutrition department that prepares exactly what the athlete eats in the morning, before the race, after the race, and in the evening. This has allowed in these seasons to see exceptional performances and make this sport wonderfully credible. I then launch this reflection. I believe that the bicycle is an instrument, especially in recent years, useful not only to cover the Giro d'Italia but also a tool of pleasure and well-being: I believe that no one better than those who ride a bicycle can understand how much they can get from what they eat." Finally, great satisfaction also from Conad General Manager Francesco Avanzini: "We are very satisfied with the multi-year partnership with RCS Sports & Events: we will be sponsors of the Giro d'Italia White Jersey, reserved for the leader of the best young riders classification. By participating in the 'queen' competition of the most practiced sport by Italians, Conad will be able to have an engaging presence in its territories, be close to the public that follows the race, and promote an active and healthy life."

WHITE JERSEY HISTORY AND NUMBERS
The White Jersey for the best young rider is the most recently established: the youth classification was born in 1969 as a ranking for new professionals. In 1973 and 1974, the leader was distinguished by a bracelet, while from 1976, the symbol of primacy became the White Jersey. From 1970 to 1972, in 1975, and from 1995 to 2006, this classification was not drawn up.
- The last Italian to win the White Jersey was Antonio Tiberi in 2024, after a drought since Fabio Aru's victory in 2015.
- The "youngest among the young" is Alfio Vandi, who won the classification in 1976 at 20 years and 187 days.
- Italian athletes have won the best young classification 18 times. Colombia is in second place with 6 successes.
- The White Jersey/Pink Jersey combination has occurred 4 times: Evgueni Berzin in 1994; Nairo Quintana in 2014; Tao Geoghegan Hart in 2020; Egan Bernal in 2021.
- In the 2020 edition, Giro winner Tao Geoghegan Hart became the first Briton to win the White Jersey.
- In 2022, Juan Pedro Lopez became the first Spaniard to win the White Jersey.