Rockin' Roll-Off: Mads Pedersen Shines in Albania's Giro D'Italia Debut
Champion sprinter from previous years competes in the Giro d'Albania race
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Before the Giro d'Italia takes its grand entrance to the Vatican, the cycling legends get the party started abroad. Albania welcomed the racing action with a bang, offering a tough opening act complete with twisty climbs, hair-raising crashes, and the familiar face of a victorious champion.
Former World Champion Mads Pedersen pulled off a phenomenal victory in the inaugural Albanian stage of the 108th Giro d'Italia, marking his 51st career triumph and his second for the Giro, following his 2023 win. The Lidl-Trek team's Danish powerhouse clinched the pink jersey after an impressive 160-kilometer sprint in the Albanian capital, Tirana. Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) came in a close second, while Orluis Aular (Movistar) claimed the bronze.
An elated Pedersen expressed, "This is absolutely fantastic, especially after this teamwork. Today I had the legs to win the stage for the team." The 29-year-old Danish rider added, "This is my first time donning a leader's jersey at one of the big tours. It feels surreal, and I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity."
The racing pulsed off from the Adriatic coastal city of Durres and set its sights on the grueling Gracen Pass as the first challenge. The final laps raced up Surrel Hill, boasting gradients of up to 13 percent, intensifying the initial competition.
The race took a brutal toll, claiming heavy casualties, including Tobias Steinhauser (EF Education-Easy Post) and sprinter Max Kanter (Astana). Steinhauser finished 10:37 minutes behind, while only one German survived in the leading group - Felix Engelhardt (Team Jayco AlUla) who closed the day in 14th place. Spanish rider Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step) suffered a devastating crash on a descent near the finish and was forced to retire from the race.
Defending champion Tadej Pogacar will not be present this year, but his Slovenian compatriot and Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe rider Primoz Roglic is the strong contender for the crown. Roglic kicked off the challenge in the leading group, preparing to face the assaults of Juan Ayuso from Pogacar's UAE team in the upcoming weeks.
The Giro will continue its stay in Albania for stages two and three before crossing into Italy. Saturday brings a 13.7-kilometer individual time trial through Tirana to test the riders' endurance.
The first two weeks of the race are set for breath-taking sprint stages and some reasonably challenging mountain stages, along with two short individual time trials, keeping the pink jersey race close. Week three brings strong competition with demanding mountain stages, before the race culminates in Rome on June 1, with the cyclists honoring the late Pope Francis by riding through the Vatican.
Sources: ntv.de, tsi/sid
- insights
- With the 2025 Giro d'Italia's Stage 1 data, we can extrapolate the challenges and characteristics of the 2023 edition's Stage 1, even though the provided information exclusively covers the 2025 event.
- Albania, as a Grand Tour host nation, showcases the growing interest in cycling in Eastern Europe and provides inspiring, challenging routes for riders.
- cyclesports
- The cycling world is set to witness captivating competitions, as the Giro d'Italia traverses Albania and Italy, offering a mix of scenic landscapes and challenging climbs for the riders.
- The absence of defending champion Tadej Pogacar intensifies the competition, with Juan Ayuso and Primoz Roglic as formidable contenders for the pink jersey.
- The 108th Giro d'Italia, in its debut in Albania, featured cycling legend Mads Pedersen's victorious performance, marking his 51st career triumph and his second Giro win.
- During the Albanian stage, the race included tough gradients, such as the Surrel Hill with up to 13 percent, which intensified the initial competition.
- After his triumph in the Albanian capital, Tirana, and donning the pink jersey, Mads Pedersen expressed gratitude for the opportunity, acknowledging the importance of teamwork in his success.
