Simon Yates: “The emotions I felt at the end of this Giro were incredible and I really hope to experience them again. In 2018 I had a great race, but also a painful ending with the crisis in the final stage. In the years after, I came back hoping to get my revenge, but it never really worked out. Still, in the back of my mind, I always wanted to try again. This year, I finally managed to do it. When I saw the Colle delle Finestre on the route, my first reaction was: ‘Oh, not again.’ But I was able to fight back and come up with something special. The route of the upcoming edition is very demanding. Blockhaus is a very tough climb, I rode it in 2022, and it can really change the race. The Aosta stage will probably be the key one: it’s extremely hard, but it suits my characteristics quite well”.
Elisa Longo Borghini: “In Imola, it was a wonderful feeling to celebrate with my family at the finish line. I fulfilled a dream and then confirmed myself again the following year. I really love this race. The Rivoli–Sestriere stage with the Colle delle Finestre is iconic: a place I know very well and where I often train as part of my preparation. The Saluzzo stage will also be special because it passes through Osasco, the hometown of my husband Jacopo Mosca, and there will be a lot of support“.
Vincenzo Nibali: “I have experienced three Grande Partenza abroad, and on one of those occasions I won the Giro in 2016. It’s wonderful to see the international interest surrounding such an important race. This is a very technical and well-designed Giro: the first summit finish will be on the Blockhaus after a long stage, and it will already be very demanding. You won’t be able to hide. In general, the finishes are very challenging, with short and explosive stages also in the second week. The Aosta stage, with almost 4,000 metres of elevation gain, will be crucial and you will need a strong team for support. The final week represents the heart of the Giro d’Italia. The Dolomites can really make the difference“.
Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister of Italy and Minister of Foreign Affairs: “Every year the Giro d’Italia is eagerly anticipated by millions of cycling fans, all curious to discover which parts of the country the Maglia Rosa will travel through. The Giro d’Italia and the Giro d’Italia Women are two extraordinary windows onto our country. They tell the story of our landscapes, our passion, our craftsmanship and Italian ingenuity. This is precisely why I wanted to appoint the Giro as ‘Ambassador of Italian Sport to the World’. The Corsa Rosa is not just a sporting event, but an extraordinary platform for diplomacy, a catalyst for growth and innovation, and the passage of the next edition through Bulgaria perfectly reflects the remarkable value of sport. The Giro is the race of Italy and its traditions, looking ahead as it pedals towards the future“.
Andrea Abodi, Minister for Sport and Youth: “I have always considered the Giro a national heritage: a tradition renewed every year, full of popular passion and territorial promotion, showcasing the very best that Italy has to offer. The Giro d’Italia has sown a history of heroic deeds, and now we are waiting for a new generation of Italian riders to emerge and carry on this legacy. It is a race that has also opened up to Europe: last year Albania, this year Bulgaria. Looking beyond our borders is essential to strengthen cooperation and relationships that go far beyond sport alone“.
Urbano Cairo, President of RCS MediaGroup: “The Giro d’Italia is a great emotion: as a child, it was an unmissable appointment. Today it is also a powerful economic driver, contributing to the growth of Italian exports by more than €2.5 billion. This is the sixteenth time the Giro has started abroad and it perfectly reflects our role as ambassadors of Italy around the world- It provides also an extraordinary showcase for Italy, its beauties and its excellence, generating a strong impact on the economy, tourism and sport“.
Luciano Buonfiglio, President of CONI: “Cycling is a unique emotion. The work being done on women’s cycling is fundamental and something to be proud of: RCS Sport and the Federation are helping to raise awareness and culture towards women’s sport in Italy. Italy is the second country in the world for hosting major sporting events, just behind the United States. Our territory, combined with expertise, passion and culture, creates a unique setting“.
Rosen Zhelyazkov, Prime Minister of Bulgaria: “I am pleased to be here this evening and honoured to see that Bulgaria will host the Grande Partenza of one of the most important sporting events in the world. The Giro d’Italia is not just a race, but a global symbol of tradition and sport, combining athletic competition with culture. Events like this are fundamental in today’s world: they promote dialogue, integrity, friendship and mutual respect. Hosting it in our country confirms Bulgaria’s growing role in international sport. It is a unique opportunity to showcase our history, traditions and our value as a host nation, ready to provide everything needed for a memorable Grande Partenza“.
Alessandro Onorato, Councillor for Major Events, Sports, Tourism, and Fashion of Rome: “Four years ago we brought the Giro d’Italia back to Rome, and every edition is always an emotional experience. We took a gamble when no one believed in it. We proved that we are reliable and efficient, and now we want the Grande Arrivo in the Capital to become a tradition. It is a celebration for the whole city, from the historic centre to Ostia, also thanks to initiatives such as the free ‘Pedalata Rosa’ ride involving many families and children. A major event that conveys a positive image of Rome, provides huge international exposure with millions of TV viewers around the world, leaves tangible legacies such as murals in metro stations and, above all, generates significant economic impact: according to Banca Ifis estimates, in 2025 the overall induced impact across Italy amounted to €2.1 billion“.
Matteo Zoppas, President of ICE: “We are building, step by step, a Giro d’Italia that is more beautiful and more international every year. This is an important result in the process of internationalising our product and promoting Made in Italy around the world. Thanks to a study carried out with Banca Ifis, we now have impressive figures: 800 million viewers, 18 million unique international contacts, 2.5 million showing a concrete intention to purchase and 1.5 million turning into recurring customers. This means over €2 billion in new business. The Giro d’Italia does not only promote sport, it strongly supports the Italian economy and exports“.
Paolo Bellino, CEO and Managing Director at RCS Sports & Events: “Today’s event is a real ritual: the route presentation. It is a great race with great champions travelling through a beautiful country and more than 500 municipalities. It is much more than a sporting event: it is a global communication platform, with outstanding video production, technical expertise and organisational skills. Behind it all, there is tremendous teamwork“.
Mauro Vegni, Director of the Giro d’Italia: “This year we have designed a more modern Giro, with shorter stages that are no less demanding for the general classification contenders, alternating with stages that will suit riders looking to make an impact with long-range attacks. There will be seven summit finishes, the same number of stages for the sprinters, and just one individual time trial, although longer than in recent years. I would like to thank everyone who has worked with me and supported me over the years, especially my team and the law enforcement authorities, in particular the traffic police, who have escorted the Giro since its very beginnings“.
Giusy Virelli, Director of the Giro d’Italia Women: “We have put together a Giro d’Italia Women with many new ingredients, slightly changing the formula. The Grande Partenza will be in Emilia Romagna, with the team presentation followed by a first flat stage for the sprinters. There will be three fast stages, two more suited to riders with strong ‘Classics’ characteristics, two summit finishes, the return of the uphill time trial after five years, and above all the queen stage with the first-ever women’s passage over the Colle delle Finestre. The grand finale will be in Saluzzo, with two high-mountain stages. This Giro is not only a sporting story but also the story of our country: from Dante in Ravenna to Guareschi, from Dino Buzzati on Mount Nevegal to innovation at H-FARM, experiencing art, culture and the UNESCO heritage of Ravenna’s Byzantine mosaics“.
Stefano Barigelli, director of La Gazzetta dello Sport: “It’s a beautiful Giro, with a route that is modern but at the same time recalls the great exploits of the past. Individual sports are the ones that have changed the least over time. The cyclist is still alone, facing climbs, descents, nature and pouring rain. Technology has changed, bicycles have evolved, but the human element remains the same. And fatigue is something everyone understands. La Gazzetta dello Sport is the Giro d’Italia. Next year we will celebrate our 130th anniversary, together with the greatest journalists in the history of this sport“.
Cordiano Dagnoni, President of the Italian Cycling Federation: “From the very first talks, RCS Sport understood how important it was to support the Giro d’Italia Women and the Giro Next Gent. That is how a project was born which is now being recognised internationally. I was among the strong supporters of the new calendar date for the Giro Women, which will make it a natural continuation of the Giro d’Italia“.
Roberto Pella, Presidente of the Lega del Ciclismo Professionistico: “The Giro d’Italia showcases our territory like no other event. The organisational team is outstanding and even the smallest towns gain extraordinary visibility. It is a four-legged table: today’s champions, legends of the past, institutions and international promotion. The Giro relaunches Italy through tourism and passion for our country“.
