With the final tune-up race in Turkey completed, Team Polti VisitMalta now opens the most important chapter of the entire season: their sixth consecutive participation in the Giro d'Italia!

A grand start in Bulgaria and a first week from southern Italy to Emilia-Romagna, with a balanced mix of opportunities for sprinters, breakaway terrain and uphill finishes, including the very long Blockhaus stage on Friday the 15th. The second week begins with the Versilian ITT, continues through the rolling roads of Liguria and Piedmont and a mountain stage in Valle d'Aosta, before concluding with a Milanese sprint. The decisive third week features a short but tough stage in Italian-speaking Switzerland, followed by chances for attackers in Trentino and the Prosecco hills, the major mountain stages over the Giau pass and Piancavallo (with a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Friuli earthquake) and the grand finale in Rome. Almost 3,500 kilometers in total and 48,700 meters of elevation gain.

The ProTeam led by Ivan Basso and the Contador brothers is ready to make history: for the very first time, a Maltese cyclist will line up at a grand tour. Achieving this milestone and fulfilling the dream of a nation is Andrea Mifsud: "It's an immense honor to race the 109th Giro d'Italia. On a personal level, because it represents recognition of my performances and commitment. And for Malta, which is experiencing a historic moment. I have the duty to give my all and to represent both the Polti VisitMalta jersey and my fellow countrymen in the best possible way, who'll make me feel their support throughout the three weeks. I can't wait to take part in this legendary race where true cycling legends have been forged — from Girardengo and Binda, Bartali and Coppi, to Gimondi and Moser, and of course Basso and Contador. This century-old pink epic has inspired my imagination for a lifetime, and I feel a truly special emotion at the thought of adding my name and the Maltese flag to the history of this sport".

Mifsud's presence is also a testament to determination and dedication, following the collarbone injury he suffered at the end of March at Paris-Camembert: he returned in less than a month, immediately finishing 11th at the Giro dell'Appennino, won by Ludovico Crescioli ahead of teammate Thomas Pesenti. Speaking of which, both Pesenti and the young Crescioli will be part of the squad, making their Giro d'Italia debut. Alongside this trio of debutants, there will be the five most experienced members of the roster: captain Maestri, sprinter Giovanni Lonardi, project cornerstone Diego Sevilla, the breakaway specialists Mattia Bais and Alessandro Tonelli.

Mirco Maestri: "We approach the Giro d'Italia with excellent preparation and extra motivation following our double success at the Appennino, which opened our account for the season. When you've once again earned your wild-card, you have the duty to keep earning it and to honor the corsa rosa to the best of your abilities. For me it's my ninth participation, but the excitement is always the same as the first time. In this edition we'll be particularly competitive on punchy terrain and well-equipped for many of the climbs we'll face, but we'll also be in contention in the sprints where I'll support Lonardi. I'm satisfied with this first part of 2026, where Sevilla also achieved a high-level result such as the KOM classification at Tirreno-Adriatico, and with the well-structured side we'll field at the Giro. We don't just want to be visible and put on a show, we want to win a stage after our successes in 2021 and 2023. We know it's achievable, we must believe it and fight for it".

Sports director Giovanni Ellena: "We arrive at the Giro d'Italia with very high morale. The victory at the Appennino was the culmination of a path marked by consistent performance and a proactive attitude, exactly what's needed to face such a tough race against the strongest teams in the world. Whether it's a bunch sprint, a late attack or a long-range move, we must be aggressive and ready to seize every opportunity to achieve our greatest goals. Every day will be a challenge, the most exciting and exceptional of all. As for the lineup, on one hand we rewarded three riders who had never raced the Giro but have shown grit and the ability to stay at the front until the end; on the other, we rely on the experience of those who know how to handle a grand tour, from a veteran like Tonelli to Bais, whom I've followed since the start of his professional career and nicknamed 'the gladiator'".