Absence of Pogacar leaves Giro d'Italia field wide open

The defending champion skipping the corsa rosa leaves the door open to compatriot Primoz Roglic, writes Flo Clifford

- Flo Clifford

There will be no repeat of Tadej Pogacar’s masterclass at the 2024 Giro d’Italia. “Pink Pog” will not be back to defend the title he barely worked up a sweat in securing last year, to the dismay/relief (delete as appropriate) of observers and the rest of the cycling world.

But in the absence of cycling’s present, this year’s Giro line-up features its past and future. The out-and-out favourites are Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe’s Primoz Roglic, a four-time Vuelta champion and Giro winner in 2023, who may count himself unlucky to be only the second-best Slovenian cyclist of all time. The 35-year-old will go toe to toe with Pogacar’s disciple, young Spaniard Juan Ayuso, who is searching for his first grand tour title.

A far cry from Pogacar’s procession to Rome last year, the 2025 edition – which gets underway in Albania tomorrow – should be a serious fight. The pair did battle in a fascinating Volta a Catalunya in March, with momentum swinging between the two even over the course of individual stages. On the final day, Ayuso looked to have the upper hand but Roglic – never one to underestimate – ultimately won in dominant fashion with a finalstage 20km solo to victory.

But the Giro is quite a different beast. And with two time trials, a plethora of hilly stages, and a trio of difficult mountain stages in the final week, the fight for the title could go right down to the penultimate day.