Stage two of the 2025 Giro d’Italia gives the GC contenders have an early opportunity to throw down the gauntlet to their rivals, with a short time trial in Tirana, Albania.
Mads Pedersen took the leader’s pink jersey with victory in the sprint at the end of stage one, but could find himself handing it over to one of the major GC favourites on a second day in the Albanian capital.
It’s a largely flat, straightforward stage, with a category four bump in the road halfway through, which might be enough to put off the pure time-trial specialists like Ineos Grenadier’s Joshua Tarling - although expect the 21-year-old to put in a strong performance regardless - and favour the GC riders who are strong in a TT.
It’s not particularly technical either, with the exception of some sharp corners and U-turns: held on wide, sweeping roads through urban sprawl, with a pan-flat final 3km and a dead straight 500m sprint to the line. What it should be is fast.
At only 13.7km there shouldn’t be significant gaps between the big favourites, but with fewer serious mountain showdowns in this race - particularly, fewer summit finishes - than normal every second will count. Primoz Roglic and Juan Ayuso are the best against the clock of the main favourites and this could be a drag race between the pair to take the honours early on in the year’s first Grand Tour.
Of the other maglia rosa contenders Italian youngster Antonio Tiberi should be well placed to profit from the time gaps to some of the weaker time-triallists, while for the likes of Richard Carapaz, Einer Rubio, veterans Romain Bardet and Mikel Landa, and climber Giulio Ciccone it will be a case of damage limitation.
Within the UAE Team Emirates-XRG hierarchy we may see some movement too: Ayuso and Adam Yates are in theory co-leaders and both have TT pedigree, but the Brit may find himself slipping down the pecking order if his 22-year-old teammate is on song.
Of the specialists, Tarling, European time-trial champion Edoardo Affini, and the Czech pair of Josef Cerny and Mathias Vacek could be outsiders for a stage win.
Route map and profile
Start and finish time
Stage two begins at around 12:30pm BST and is set to conclude at around 4:15 pm.
Prediction
Of the time-trial specialists Josh Tarling is the safest bet, but the presence of that climb may throw a spanner in the works for him. This feels like the first of several duels between race favourites Primoz Roglic and Juan Ayuso; the young Spaniard may feel he has a point to prove, while veteran Roglic has the racecraft and experience to keep his powder dry until later in the Giro, so let’s go with Juan Ayuso.
Rider start times (BST)
112:25:00 Märkl NiklasTeam Picnic PostNL212:26:00 Brenner MarcoTudor Pro Cycling Team312:27:00 Govekar MatevžBahrain - Victorious412:28:00 Hayter EthanSoudal Quick-Step512:29:00 Janssens JimmyAlpecin - Deceuninck612:30:00 Krieger AlexanderTudor Pro Cycling Team712:31:00 Zijlaard MaikelTudor Pro Cycling Team812:32:00 Asgreen KasperEF Education - EasyPost912:33:00 Plowright JensenAlpecin - Deceuninck1012:34:00 Lamperti LukeSoudal Quick-Step1112:35:00 Tratnik JanRed Bull - BORA - hansgrohe1212:36:00 Moniquet SylvainCofidis1312:37:00 Heiduk KimINEOS Grenadiers1412:38:00 van der Hoorn TacoIntermarché - Wanty1512:39:00 Moscon GianniRed Bull - BORA - hansgrohe1612:40:00 Miholjević FranBahrain - Victorious1712:41:00 Liepiņš EmīlsQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team1812:42:00 Thijssen GerbenIntermarché - Wanty1912:43:00 Van Hoecke GijsIntermarché - Wanty2012:44:00 Pasqualon AndreaBahrain - Victorious2112:45:00 Edmondson AlexTeam Picnic PostNL2212:46:00 Kooij OlavTeam Visma | Lease a Bike2312:47:00 Welten BramTeam Picnic PostNL2412:48:00 Moschetti MatteoQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team2512:49:00 Mozzato LucaArkéa - B&B Hotels2612:50:00 Hepburn MichaelTeam Jayco AlUla2712:51:00 Epis GiosuèArkéa - B&B Hotels2812:52:00 Kielich TimoAlpecin - Deceuninck2912:53:00 Bennett SamDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team3012:54:00 Lonardi GiovanniTeam Polti VisitMalta3112:55:00 Maas JanCofidis3212:56:00 Debeaumarché NicolasCofidis3312:57:00 Torres AlbertMovistar Team3412:58:00 van Uden CasperTeam Picnic PostNL3512:59:00 Paleni EnzoGroupama - FDJ3613:00:00 Muñoz FranciscoTeam Polti VisitMalta3713:01:00 Lemmen BartTeam Visma | Lease a Bike3813:02:00 Leemreize GijsTeam Picnic PostNL3913:03:00 Azparren Xabier MikelQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team4013:04:00 Kuzmin AntonXDS Astana Team4113:05:00 Huys LaurensArkéa - B&B Hotels4213:06:00 Dewulf StanDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team4313:07:00 Affini EdoardoTeam Visma | Lease a Bike4413:08:00 Pietrobon AndreaTeam Polti VisitMalta4513:09:00 Davy ClémentGroupama - FDJ4613:10:00 Černý JosefSoudal Quick-Step4713:11:00 Clarke SimonIsrael - Premier Tech4813:12:00 Fuglsang JakobIsrael - Premier Tech4913:13:00 Steinhauser GeorgEF Education - EasyPost5013:14:00 Hamilton LucasINEOS Grenadiers5113:15:00 Garofoli GianmarcoSoudal Quick-Step5213:16:00 Fretin MilanCofidis5313:17:00 Kruijswijk StevenTeam Visma | Lease a Bike5413:18:00 Milesi LorenzoMovistar Team5513:19:00 Magnier PaulSoudal Quick-Step5613:20:00 Zanoncello EnricoVF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè5713:21:00 Baroncini FilippoUAE Team Emirates - XRG5813:22:00 Tonelli AlessandroTeam Polti VisitMalta5913:23:00 Denz NicoRed Bull - BORA - hansgrohe6013:24:00 Konrad PatrickLidl - Trek6113:25:00 van Baarle DylanTeam Visma | Lease a Bike6213:26:00 Hoole DaanLidl - Trek6313:27:00 Mosca JacopoLidl - Trek6413:28:00 Maestri MircoTeam Polti VisitMalta6513:29:00 Doull OwainEF Education - EasyPost6613:30:00 Planckaert EdwardAlpecin - Deceuninck6713:31:00 Hollmann JuriAlpecin - Deceuninck6813:32:00 Colleoni KevinIntermarché - Wanty6913:33:00 Smith DionIntermarché - Wanty7013:34:00 Rafferty DarrenEF Education - EasyPost7113:35:00 Gudmestad TordDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team7213:36:00 Vendrame AndreaDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team7313:37:00 Schultz NickIsrael - Premier Tech7413:38:00 Houle HugoIsrael - Premier Tech7513:39:00 Eulálio AfonsoBahrain - Victorious7613:40:00 Honoré Mikkel FrølichEF Education - EasyPost7713:41:00 Rivera Brandon SmithINEOS Grenadiers7813:42:00 Castroviejo JonathanINEOS Grenadiers7913:43:00 Verona CarlosLidl - Trek8013:44:00 Masnada FaustoXDS Astana Team8113:45:00 Bilbao PelloBahrain - Victorious8213:46:00 Rochas RémyGroupama - FDJ8313:47:00 Voisard YannisTudor Pro Cycling Team8413:48:00 Lastra JonathanCofidis8513:49:00 Perez AnthonyCofidis8613:50:00 Warbasse LarryTudor Pro Cycling Team8713:51:00 Plapp LukeTeam Jayco AlUla8813:52:00 Groves KadenAlpecin - Deceuninck8913:53:00 Martinelli AlessioVF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè9013:54:00 Zukowsky NickolasQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team9113:55:00 Godon DorianDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team9213:56:00 Vine JayUAE Team Emirates - XRG9313:57:00 Van den Bossche FabioAlpecin - Deceuninck9413:58:00 Donovan MarkQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team9513:59:00 De Pretto DavideTeam Jayco AlUla9614:00:00 Kanter MaxXDS Astana Team9714:01:00 Petilli SimoneIntermarché - Wanty9814:02:00 Pluimers RickTudor Pro Cycling Team9914:03:00 Svestad-Bårdseng EmbretArkéa - B&B Hotels10014:04:00 De Bondt DriesDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team10114:05:00 Tarozzi ManueleVF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè10214:06:00 Strong CorbinIsrael - Premier Tech10314:07:00 Pacher QuentinGroupama - FDJ10414:08:00 Arrieta IgorUAE Team Emirates - XRG10514:09:00 Cattaneo MattiaSoudal Quick-Step10614:10:00 Barrenetxea JonMovistar Team10714:11:00 Guglielmi SimonArkéa - B&B Hotels10814:12:00 Turner BenINEOS Grenadiers10914:13:00 Ries MichelArkéa - B&B Hotels11014:14:00 Verre AlessandroArkéa - B&B Hotels11114:15:00 Knox JamesSoudal Quick-Step11214:16:00 Bouwman KoenTeam Jayco AlUla11314:17:00 Frigo MarcoIsrael - Premier Tech11414:18:00 Marcellusi MartinVF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè11514:19:00 Zana FilippoTeam Jayco AlUla11614:20:00 Kragh Andersen SørenLidl - Trek11714:21:00 Zambanini EdoardoBahrain - Victorious11814:22:00 Geniets KevinGroupama - FDJ11914:23:00 Germani LorenzoGroupama - FDJ12014:24:00 Bystrøm Sven ErikGroupama - FDJ12114:25:00 Magli FilippoVF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè12214:26:00 Covili LucaVF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè12314:27:00 Poels WoutXDS Astana Team12414:28:00 Tarling JoshuaINEOS Grenadiers12514:29:00 Arensman ThymenINEOS Grenadiers12614:30:00 Cepeda Jefferson AlveiroMovistar Team12714:31:00 Martínez Daniel FelipeRed Bull - BORA - hansgrohe12814:32:00 Pinarello AlessandroVF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè12914:33:00 Prodhomme NicolasDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team13014:34:00 Cepeda Jefferson AlexanderEF Education - EasyPost13114:35:00 Hirt JanIsrael - Premier Tech13214:36:00 Shaw JamesEF Education - EasyPost13314:37:00 Formolo DavideMovistar Team13414:38:00 Meintjes LouisIntermarché - Wanty13514:39:00 Fortunato LorenzoXDS Astana Team13614:40:00 Gee DerekIsrael - Premier Tech13714:41:00 Bais DavideTeam Polti VisitMalta13814:42:00 Hamilton ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL13914:43:00 Oldani StefanoCofidis14014:44:00 Bais MattiaTeam Polti VisitMalta14114:45:00 Tjøtta MartinArkéa - B&B Hotels14214:46:00 Samitier SergioCofidis14314:47:00 Vader MilanQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team14414:48:00 Fiorelli FilippoVF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè14514:49:00 Hermans QuintenAlpecin - Deceuninck14614:50:00 Stork FlorianTudor Pro Cycling Team14714:51:00 Scaroni ChristianXDS Astana Team14814:52:00 Pellizzari GiulioRed Bull - BORA - hansgrohe14914:53:00 Harper ChrisTeam Jayco AlUla15014:54:00 Majka RafałUAE Team Emirates - XRG15114:55:00 Kelderman WilcoTeam Visma | Lease a Bike15214:56:00 Aleotti GiovanniRed Bull - BORA - hansgrohe15314:57:00 Howson DamienQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team15414:58:00 Ayuso JuanUAE Team Emirates - XRG15514:59:00 Quintana NairoMovistar Team15615:00:00 McNulty BrandonUAE Team Emirates - XRG15715:01:00 Yates AdamUAE Team Emirates - XRG15815:02:00 Bernal EganINEOS Grenadiers15915:03:00 Gaudu DavidGroupama - FDJ16015:04:00 Storer MichaelTudor Pro Cycling Team16115:05:00 Vacek MathiasLidl - Trek16215:06:00 Yates SimonTeam Visma | Lease a Bike16315:07:00 del Toro IsaacUAE Team Emirates - XRG16415:08:00 Caruso DamianoBahrain - Victorious16515:09:00 Rubio EinerMovistar Team16615:10:00 Hindley JaiRed Bull - BORA - hansgrohe16715:11:00 Bardet RomainTeam Picnic PostNL16815:14:00 Roglič PrimožRed Bull - BORA - hansgrohe16915:17:00 Engelhardt FelixTeam Jayco AlUla17015:20:00 Double PaulTeam Jayco AlUla17115:23:00 Tiberi AntonioBahrain - Victorious17215:26:00 Ciccone GiulioLidl - Trek17315:29:00 Piganzoli DavideTeam Polti VisitMalta17415:32:00 Conci NicolaXDS Astana Team17515:35:00 Poole MaxTeam Picnic PostNL17615:38:00 Carapaz RichardEF Education - EasyPost17715:41:00 Ulissi DiegoXDS Astana Team17815:44:00 Pidcock ThomasQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team17915:47:00 Busatto FrancescoIntermarché - Wanty18015:50:00 Aular OrluisMovistar Team18115:53:00 van Aert WoutTeam Visma | Lease a Bike18215:56:00 Pedersen MadsLidl - Trek
