
It was the Giro of Mads Pedersen, but also and above all of Isaac Del Toro. It seemed it could be Richard Carapaz's, but in the end it was Simon Yates', the Unnamed who managed to inscribe his first and last name in imperishable memory on the Senza Fine trophy. For the British rider, the Finestre climb was enough to overturn the attic. To throw away what he had accumulated in those seven years of gloomy thoughts and dark memories. No more nightmares, those belong to a past life; now he will spend a life thinking and rethinking about what he did on that incredible afternoon of May 31, 2025.
LIDL-TREK. 9. They lose Giulio Ciccone at the last moment: probably he wouldn't have won the Giro, but a place of honor with pink nobility, that would have been within the Abruzzo rider's reach. They win six stages: four with Pedersen, who takes the Italian points classification jersey to Rome and Denmark, wearing it like Bugno wore the pink jersey, from the first to the last stage. He also spends five days in the leader's jersey, something never happened before for Danish cycling, which had never worn the pink jersey before him. The bouquet of victories is completed by the giant Hoole and Carlos Verona. A sumptuous Giro, with seventeen top-ten placements, the last one still by Pedersen in Rome: absolute protagonists.
TEAM VISMA LEASE A BIKE. 10 with honors. They come here with few proclamations and little fanfare. Silent, they set themselves to Diabolik mode: the Unnamed is there, but essentially no one sees him. Diabolical is Visma's final and total plan, which prepares the package for both UAE and EF. Van Aert gone from the morning, Simon Yates, the Unnamed, the man never considered, plays his cards on the mountain that seven years earlier had been his Golgotha, torment, hell. He flies away, towards Paradise. Sixteen top-ten placements, three stage victories: one with the monumental Van Aert and two with sprinter Kooij. The pink jersey is Simon Yates', the pink jersey is for all the hornets.
MOVISTAR TEAM. 6.5. Ten top-ten placements, 8th place overall with Rubio: a careful and realistic race. They know they can't work miracles, but they deliver more than a decent Giro, giving meaning to the pink race, in line with their magnificent history.
INTERMARCHÈ – WANTY. 2. They come just for the sake of participation, leaving no mark. Only one top-ten placement in three weeks: first stage, 4th Busatto.
Q36.5. 4. They were among the invited teams, so they had a moral duty to bring something extra. They come with Pidcock, but after the demanding spring, as they say, his Giro is like late autumn. Strange, however, that with an equally intense spring, Pedersen performed slightly better... Eight top-ten placements - Moschetti third in Rome - the British rider nowhere to be seen. And they claim to have brought him.
XDS- ASTANA TEAM. 8.5. One day in the pink jersey with Diego Ulissi, and that alone would be enough to say their Giro wasn't futile. They collect thirteen top-ten placements and a stage win with Scaroni, who crosses the finish line with teammate Lorenzo Fortunato, who also takes home the blue Mediolanum mountain jersey. A high-level Giro for a team that has regained its footing.
EF EDUCATION – EASYPOST. 6.5. In the end, the experienced rider drifts along with the inexperienced young one, but this is clearly more serious for Richard Carapaz. Stage wins with Asgreen and Carapaz, eleven top-ten placements, a third place finish that could have been more, but it's clear that thanks to them, and to him, the pink race had meaning for three weeks.
TEAM PICNIC POSTNL. 7. They win a stage with Van Uden, obtain twelve top-ten placements, race aggressively with young Max Poole and almost make the top ten: the young rider finishes 11th.
TEAM POLTI VISITMALTA. 6. The disappointment is Davide Piganzoli (4), who shows no signs of improvement, only stagnation. Thirteenth last year, fourteenth this year. He never gives the impression of being able to stay with the best, constantly chasing. The team does well, giving meaning to it all: five placements and a remarkable 2nd place stage with Mirco Maestri. Second in the breakaway classification with Alessandro Tonelli, who is also third in the Intermediate Sprints classification.
INEOS GRENADIERS. 6.5. The team moves well, does everything to support Egan Bernal, but in the end the Colombian doesn't go beyond 7th place overall. Stage win with Tarling, twelve top-ten placements, a reactive team that perhaps deserved a bit more.
RED BULL - BORA HANSGROHE. 7. They lose Primoz Roglic, who never seems to be in form. Rides cautiously, then ends up in the infirmary after several crashes (four). When he stops, the team is liberated and shows what they could have done. Wins a stage with Nico Denz, and enjoys Giulio Pellizzari, who, without exaggeration, is if not a hope, a truly beautiful suggestion.
UAE TEAM EMIRATES – EXG. 8. They lost the Giro, true, but lost it with a young rider no one thought could win at the start and who will certainly return to win. Twenty top-ten placements, two stage wins with Ayuso and Del Toro, twelve days in the pink jersey with the young Mexican, who keeps the pink show going. Not great for Ayuso, who perhaps needs to start thinking that races are won with a champion's mentality, but you also need to be a champion. Adam Yates disappoints tremendously, the other side of the twins' medal: one in pink, the other in red. UAE raced for three weeks with one man down.
SOUDAL – QUICK STEP. 6. Right from the start, they lose Mikel Landa, who could have invented something in this Giro. Davide Bramati's team doesn't lose heart and tries to invent something every day. Nine top-ten placements, a James Knox finishing in the thirties and a Gianmarco Garofoli who gives hope.
ISRAEL PREMIER- TECH. 7. A consistent race, without peaks, but many whispers. Talk of Derek Gee who never gives up and finishes 4th. Seven placements, for a team without the Israel label on their jersey, but their race is not anonymous.
BAHRAIN VICTORIOUS. 7.5. Fifteen top-ten placements, 5th place overall with Damiano Caruso, who as usual starts as a tutor and then becomes a jack-of-all-trades. Manages the situation, supports the unseated and injured Tiberi. The future remains such, the past is present.
COFIDIS. 5. Four placements, some forward moves, but too little for such a team.
DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE. 7. Win at Champoluc with Prodhomme. This alone would be enough to give meaning to their Giro. As a side dish, they add six more placements and a 15th place overall, always with Nicolas.
VF GROUP BARDIANI CSF FAIZAN È. 8. They race well, never giving the impression of publicity-seeking breakaways, but pursuing the big catch. Nine top-ten placements, very active with Fiorelli, Zanoncello, Marcellusi, Martinelli, Tarozzi, and Magli. They take home the breakaway classification with Manuele Tarozzi. The Red Bull Km classification is also his.
TEAM JAYCO ALULA. 7. If only Filippo Zana had been in better condition, who knows what the team directed by Valerio Piva could have collected. Team A is clearly for the Tour. Here, however, they don't come for tourism, but for a good campaign that yields seven placements and two stage wins: one with Plapp and the other with Harper.
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM. 7.5. They were aware of the invitation and behave as guests with great respect. Eight top-ten placements, and a Storer who ultimately secures a very good 10th place overall. In short, they didn't look like gate-crashers, but like those who had all the requirements to sit at the big table.
ALPECIN-DECEUNICK. 6. Win a stage with Groves, who also places second in Rome: the minimum union standard for a team that collects six placements.
GROUPAMA-FDJ. 3. Three placements.
ARKEA B&B HOTELS. 2. Not much to say: Stage 6: 8th Mozzato; Stage 20: 2nd Verre. A separate mention for the 23-year-old from Lucania, who obtains a beautiful second place in Champoluc: he clearly deserves a more than merited 7.