In this Giro d'Italia, the best Italian was Damiano Caruso. The Sicilian from Bahrein-Victorious in the pink race, at 37 years old, was one of the oldest riders, but his age and experience, combined with his sporting skills, allowed him to finish fifth in the general classification.

"I am satisfied, it was a good Giro for me, I have no regrets and I raced as I wanted" - said the Sicilian in Rome – "I didn't come here looking for a result and I've always said that. Racing this way means doing it without being under pressure, and that's how I want to race".

The Ragusa-born rider from the class of 1987, hasn't won many races as a professional, but everyone remembers his second place in the general classification, when in 2021 he finished behind Egan Bernal and ahead of Simon Yates.

"I had said I would be happy to finish in the top 10, but in the end I finished fifth and this result is the gift I gave myself at the end of my career".

2025 was supposed to be the last year of racing for the Sicilian, but given the results obtained, he decided to extend for another year and so in 2026 we will still see him wearing the Bahrain-Victorious jersey. Caruso is a generous rider, always at the service of his teammates, but sometimes, starting as a domestique, he found himself wearing the captain's jersey and finishing a grand tour as the best Italian in the race.

"Given my results, I've often been asked if I underestimated myself as a rider. With serenity, I can say that I don't underestimate myself, I like to live peacefully. There are those who are made to take on the responsibility of being a captain, and in my career I only did it when I was forced by circumstances, but by choice I preferred to live without that pressure and race peacefully".

Caruso was supposed to race alongside Tiberi, who for Bahrein-Victorious was meant to be the classification rider. Unfortunately, as often happens in grand tours, this didn't happen and Antonio Tiberi, due to a crash, no longer found the condition that would allow him to race at the front with the best. "I wouldn't change anything about my Giro, I'm more than satisfied. I would only change something for Antonio, I wish I could avoid the crash that unfortunately compromised his result. For this detail, only this detail, I would like to change something, for the rest I would leave everything as it is".

Caruso didn't want to be a mentor for the young Tiberi, but wanted only to help him grow, offering those advice that only a rider like Damiano Caruso, who has participated in 21 grand tours between Tour, Vuelta and Giro, can give.

"I absolutely do not feel like a teacher, I wanted to offer Antonio some advice based on my personal experience, which comes from my long career. Clearly he will have to find his own way, but I am not a teacher, I am just someone who can give him advice and that's it".