In a seismic shift that has rattled the world of professional cycling, Tadej Pogačar will not start the 2025 Giro d’Italia. With Jonas Vingegaard also recovering from injury and skipping the race, the Italian Grand Tour finds itself in uncharted territory: wide open, unpredictable, and buzzing with speculation.
The Slovenian star’s withdrawal, confirmed by UAE Team Emirates, is said to be a calculated move to preserve his form for a potential third Tour de France title. But the ripple effects are being felt far beyond team strategy meetings.
“Without Tadej or Jonas, the race feels like it belongs to the peloton again,” said Geraint Thomas of Ineos Grenadiers, a past Giro runner-up. “It’s rare to see a Grand Tour without a defined favorite—so it’s all up for grabs.”
This year’s Giro, which kicks off in Torino and winds through the brutal peaks of the Dolomites, was expected to be a battleground between Pogačar’s explosive climbing and Vingegaard’s relentless consistency. Instead, it has transformed into a proving ground for rising talents and experienced challengers seeking a legacy-defining win.
Team DSM’s director Matt Winston commented, “We’re now looking at a race of opportunity. Tactically, it’s going to be a chess match every day.”
Names like João Almeida (UAE), Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R), and even wildcard Lorenzo Fortunato (Astana) are being discussed in hushed, hopeful tones. The general classification is no longer a two-man race—it’s a battlefield of ambition.
Not everyone, however, sees the upside.
“Let’s not pretend this isn’t a blow,” said cycling commentator Elisa Contini. “Fans want to see the best fight the best. That’s what Grand Tours are about.”
Still, many fans are intrigued by what could be the most competitive Giro in a decade—one where no team can control the race, and no rider starts in pink as a foregone conclusion.
The mountains remain. The pressure intensifies. And the mythos of the Giro, rather than diminishing, may just expand in the chaos.
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