The organisers of the Giro d’Italia have a problem. No, not how to get the violin soloist off the stage at their 2027 route presentation on Tuesday, although that was interminable, but a problem of identity.
It is nothing new that the Italian Grand Tour sits in the shadow of the Tour de France, the Tour is the Tour, after all, but in this age of cycling superstars, it has become all the more important for RCS to tempt them to race in May. The Giro has done well at this in recent years, with Tadej Pogačar dominant in 2024, and Jonas Vingegaard similarly better than everyone else in the season just gone.
News editor at Cycling Weekly, Adam brings his weekly opinion on the goings on at the upper echelons of our sport. This piece is part of The Leadout, a newsletter series from Cycling Weekly and Cyclingnews. To get this in your inbox, subscribe here. As ever, email adam.becket@futurenet.com – should you wish to add anything, or suggest a topic.
It has meant a slightly softened race, an end to a hellish final week perhaps in order to support a rider who might tackle both the Giro and the Tour in quick succession . This is not an easy Giro however, with seven summit finishes and over 50,000m of elevation in three weeks. But it is one that could allow a double attempt. There are two individual time trials totalling 56.9km, one hilly, one very flat, perhaps an attempt to woo Remco Evenepoel, although there are also two at the Tour, and that will probably take priority for the Belgian.
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Pogačar has all but ruled himself out of the Giro as he chases an unprecedented sixth Tour win, and while not much is known of Vingegaard and Evenepoel’s plans for next year yet… Well, the Tour’s the Tour.
Hypothetically, then, if this starry trio was absent, it creates an interestingly open race. Like in 2025, when Simon Yates won, there could be a crowd of potential challengers for pink. Paul Seixas has hinted he could head to Italy next year; there would certainly be less pressure for the French golden child there.
Isaac del Toro has unfinished business at the Giro, and needs his teammate Pogačar to be absent to launch a proper challenge at a Grand Tour title. Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe could bring Giulio Pellizzari or Florian Lipowitz, or both, while Lidl-Trek have riches of GC riders to spread across the calendar, so Mattias Skjelmose or Juan Ayuso, or both again, could ride. Why not throw in Vuelta a España champion Enric Mas too?
Assuming one of these doesn’t dominate, which Seixas or Del Toro have the potential to do, then a very open race is appealing, and could create a better narrative than an edition with one single standout rider. Maybe there is no need to chase the biggest names.
I will not miss the typical brutal final week. While the endless sawtooth profiles might create excitement when the route is announced, they are so often stultifying in reality, with riders measuring their efforts across the week, rather than going all out on any one stage.
The 2027 Giro route is pleasingly balanced, with opportunities for all types of riders. The sprinters might feel a little short-changed with difficulties thrown into the easier days, but a bit of chaos will enliven them.
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If you want to get in touch with Adam, email adam.becket@futurenet.com.
