Antonio Tiberi arrives at the Giro d'Italia 2025 with few certainties. While last year's third place at Tour of the Alps had launched him towards a great Corsa Rosa, this year a gastrointestinal virus forced him to withdraw after just one and a half stages of the euroregional race. An unpleasant setback that slightly changes the plans, but certainly does not alter the optimism in the Bahrain Victorious team, convinced they have a podium contender for the final in Rome. The White Jersey and fifth place overall in 2024, after all, did not come by chance, but through great planning and growth work.

"Mentally he is strong, he hasn't been affected" - said his sports director Franco Pellizotti. "Of course, this was not needed, but we've come to terms with it. He was feeling so good that we are convinced that, once he recovers from this illness, he will be able to return to performing very well. Before the Giro, he won't race any other event, he'll go directly to Albania".

"To lighten the mood, I told him 'better at TotA than in 2-3 weeks at the Giro'" - commented his trusted teammate and mountain stage shadow, Damiano Caruso. "And indeed, that's how it is, he must stay calm. Cycling is like this, it happens to everyone every day, there are no replacements and we accept it. He just needs to recover from this illness and then restart from where he left off, as if nothing happened. If it's not serious as it seems, there's no need to worry".

No alarm, therefore, for Antonio Tiberi, who will hunt for the podium at the Giro.

Antonio, the withdrawal from Tour of the Alps was not welcome.
"That's true, but the condition is good. Of course, I haven't raced since Tirreno Adriatico, so I'll need some confirmation during the race. Not having been able to do the Tour of the Alps, I'll get my answers directly at the Giro d'Italia. I spent two weeks in Teide, refined my form and the leg should be turning well. Let's hope that's the case, we'll be certain in a few days".

How important was the podium achieved at Tirreno Adriatico against high-value opponents?
"It gave me a lot of morale, especially because it came during a heavy period when sensations were good but not extraordinary. The condition peak was still growing, and achieving a podium against those opponents was the right way to approach the work of the following weeks".

Apart from the TotA setback, was the approach to the Giro almost identical to last year?
"The preparation was specular. Last year I had fought for the Tour of the Alps victory until the end and then did a Giro in crescendo. This year unfortunately we didn't have the TotA, but the hope is to do a Corsa Rosa along the same lines as last year".

One thing fans appreciate about you is not hiding, openly declaring your objectives.
"I believe that when you have awareness of what you're doing, if you're convinced of the goodness of your work, then there's nothing wrong with exposing your goals. If last year I finished fifth at the Giro, I think it's normal to want to improve, perhaps reaching the podium. Then of course, we're human and don't have an engine, anything can happen even at the last second, as the problem I had at TotA demonstrated".

Compared to last year, however, there's a big difference: Pogacar is not here. What Giro do you expect?
"Without Pogacar, I expect a more open and tactical Giro. With no rider on paper significantly stronger than the others, considered the winner from the start, and consequently a team expected to race from beginning to end, clearly different scenarios are created where everyone can try to have their say. Then, of course, there are favorites like Roglic and Ayuso, but in 21 days of racing anything can happen and hierarchies can change in a moment. I think there might be space to invent something".

Speaking of them, you mentioned them. How far do you feel from Roglic and Ayuso?
"This year I only compared myself with Ayuso at Tirreno Adriatico. I didn't finish so far from him and, as said, I wasn't yet the best possible version of myself. In these weeks I hope to have further reduced that gap separating me from him, and on my side, there's also the fact that as days pass, in a Grand Tour, I usually feel better and better".

The Giro seems quite unbalanced towards the third week. Will everything be decided there?
"Yes, I believe we'll need to pull out raw strength in the third week. Before that, there will certainly be skirmishes, maybe already in the Tirana time trial on the second day, even if it's short and technical, and then with Siena's white roads and some other tricky finishes. But the real battles will definitely be in the last days, before that I expect a more tactical Giro".

What does it mean to race without the dominant Pogacar?
"It gives more morale, grit and hope. But what applies to me applies to everyone else. Many of us will want to do very well in this Giro d'Italia".

from tuttoBICI May issue