After his stunning solo victory last Sunday in Rwanda, which secured Tadej Pogacar his second consecutive World Championship, the Slovenian champion of UAE Team Emirates XRG will make his race debut with the new world champion jersey on Tuesday, October 7th at the 104th Three Valleys of Varese.

To the confirmations that the Alfredo Binda Cycling Society had already received from the Emirates team in recent days, was added the official statement by UAE Team Emirates XRG Team Principal and CEO Mauro Gianetti, who appeared live last night during the Radio Corsa broadcast on Rai Sport.

These were his words during the broadcast: "Tadej Pogacar will be at the start of the Three Valleys of Varese and will make his debut with the new world champion jersey. He had promised Renzo Oldani last year that he would return to Varese as soon as possible (after the race's cancellation in 2024 due to bad weather, ed.) and in these days we managed to organize and fit his participation, so Italian cycling fans will be able to see him racing next Tuesday at the Three Valleys of Varese and then on Saturday at Il Lombardia", Gianetti confirmed.

The president of the Alfredo Binda Cycling Society, Renzo Oldani, emotionally praised Tadej Pogacar: "We are clearly happy and proud to have the world professional champion at the start of our event. But today I don't want to talk about the champion or the rider that has already been discussed extensively. Today I want to thank the man Tadej Pogacar. He has shown that he is a person who keeps his word, because a year ago he promised me he would return here to Varese and despite a packed schedule in this end of season, he has demonstrated great sensitivity and the value he places on friendship by participating in the 2025 Three Valleys of Varese. It is from these gestures that one measures Tadej's human stature, who is not just a great champion, but a great man".

"I would also like to make a special thanks to my friend Mauro Gianetti and UAE Team Emirates XRG Sport Manager Joxean Matxin – Oldani added – who worked to ensure Tadej Pogacar could be at the start of our race and have shown themselves to be loyal people and friends of the Alfredo Binda Cycling Society. I thank them from the bottom of my heart".

So on Tuesday, October 7th, starting at 11:55 from Busto Arsizio and arriving in Varese around 17:00, cycling fans will be able to admire Tadej Pogacar's world champion jersey in a challenge that will pit him against other top names in world cycling.

Other expected protagonists
As announced in recent days, in addition to the Slovenian, numerous prominent names are in the provisional start list, starting with 2025 Giro d'Italia winner Simon Yates, leader of Team Visma | Lease a Bike, and the 2025 Giro d'Italia runner-up, the 21-year-old Mexican talent Isaac Del Toro, also from UAE Team Emirates XRG. Also present in Varese will be two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor Pro Cycling Team). The team to watch will certainly be Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe, which will field some of its most prized riders like Slovenian Primoz Roglic, winner of the 2023 Giro d'Italia and four-time Vuelta a España winner, Australian Jai Hindley, Giro d'Italia winner in 2022, and the current emerging young Italian, winner of a beautiful stage at La Vuelta, the Marche rider Giulio Pellizzari.

Watch out for the South American contingent with the EF Education – Easypost duo formed by Colombian Esteban Chaves and Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, the latter Giro d'Italia winner in 2019 and Olympic champion in Tokyo 2020, Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team), winner of a Giro and a Vuelta, his compatriot Egan Bernal, winner of a Giro and a Tour de France, who among his Ineos Grenadiers teammates will also have Dutch rider Thymen Arensman, winner of two stages at this year's Tour de France.

In addition to the already mentioned Pellizzari, Italian hopes will mainly rest on Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), then Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious), Lorenzo Fortunato and Christian Scaroni from XDS Astana Team.

The Route
Confirmed is the Textile Museum in Busto Arsizio as the stage headquarters with team and athlete presentations in the garden area and the official race start.
The route is 200 kilometers from Busto to the heart of Varese. The track's novelties include the "mythical" Ronchi climb that goes from Lake Schiranna to Varese's city center, the same as the 2008 Varese World Championships, and the so-called Cinque Piante climb from Gavirate's Oltrona district leading to the Barasso climb that ends in front of the Municipal Building, and then another uphill section passing through Luvinate and Casciago. Confirmed is the finish on via Sacco, in front of Varese's City Hall. The route is the same as scheduled a year ago when, however, due to adverse weather conditions, the race was prematurely cancelled.

Two races broadcast live across five continents
For this edition as well, the races organized by the Alfredo Binda Cycling Society will be visible live on RAI Sport and RAI 2 and thanks to RAI ITALIA and discovery+ /Eurosport the Three Valleys of Varese will be visible on five continents.

Here is the RAI schedule:
Three Valleys of Varese Women's Race: RaiSport 11:00 - 12:40
Three Valleys of Varese men's race: Rai 2 15:25 – 17:00