The JCL Team Ukyo starts the Giro d'Abruzzo 2025 with an ambitious lineup that can compete on multiple fronts. The Italian race runs from today until April 18th and features a varied route, with opportunities for sprinters (who must earn their sprint), two mountain finishes in Penne and Roccaraso, and the grand finale in Isola del Gran Sasso.

The JCL Team Ukyo can count on the experience of Nariyuki Masuda, who has already made a mark in Italy by breaking away in the Milano-Torino. Alongside him, the team will have two other Japanese riders: Yuma Koishi, who stood out at the 2025 Tour de Taiwan, and Koki Kamada, Asian under-23 road champion.

For the general classification, the designated leaders are Nahom Zeray and Alessandro Fancellu. The Eritrean already has a victory this season, winning the Tour du Rwanda 2025 stage finishing in Kigali. The Italian, meanwhile, was twelfth in the general classification at the Settimana Coppi e Bartali, where he also attacked in the final stage.

For potential sprints, the reference rider is Andrea D'Amato, backed by his already achieved placements this season, including a fourth-place stage finish at the Tour de Taiwan and AlUla Tour. The roster is completed by Simone Raccani, who finished eighth overall in Taiwan after being fifth in the queen stage.

The 2025 Giro d'Abruzzo route presents several challenges. The race opens with the Scerni-Crecchio, 151 km with only one categorized mountain grand prix but several climbs in the finale. This could be the only chance for sprinters, who will need to earn their sprint.

The general classification will be primarily determined by the second and third stages, with mountain finishes. The finish in Penne is preceded by the mountain grand prix of Forcella di Acciano and Forca di Penne, before the final climb of just over 3 km with an average gradient around 5%.

The pure climbers are waiting for the Roccaraso finish, atop an 18.2 km climb with an average gradient of 4.8%. The terrain is very irregular, with gradients around 7% in the first 6 km, a long easier section, and a finale with 2 km around 6%, with peaks at 12%.

The grand finale is in Isola del Gran Sasso, where there could be another sprint. Riders will tackle the Sparazzano mountain grand prix twice, the last time 25 km from the finish line.