Giro d'Italia, Bettini: "Gubbio-Siena can split the group. The time trial will be fundamental"

Tagliacozzo (L'Aquila), May 16, 2025 – He was a great cycling champion, Paolo Bettini from Livorno that among the many victories obtained in his career counts the Athens 2024 Olympic title and two world road races in 2006 and 2007. He has taken part in eight Giro d'Italias, winning only two stages, in Tropea and Brescia. It follows the Giro d'Italia and we reach him by phone while he is leaving the starting area of ​​a stage, today Friday, awaited (the first of the Giro with an uphill finish). The first question is about what happened yesterday with the maxi-fall and the neutralization of the stage as regards timing.

“The final decision made by the organizers and the jury is the right one, but I want to add something.”

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“When I was racing, something similar happened to me too. It was the 2007 Giro d'Italia, which started in Sardinia and included the third stage in Campania, the Salerno-Monte Vergine, during which Gasparotto was wearing the pink jersey. There was a fall, the blocking of the stage and then the same was restarted without neutralizing the times. We riders acted accordingly and in the sections considered dangerous, we slowed down, riding them with caution”.

 Today, however, great speed and little caution.  

“The riders don’t make a certain type of decision, they let the organizers and the jury decide and then they adapt. It takes more courage and to use caution when necessary. In today’s cycling, every sports group has a “decoy” machine that informs of any dangers to behave accordingly along the route”.

The chapter closed, the Giro is in an important phase.

"Today, Friday, we will already be able to see something but I think that the stage to follow and that could make the Giro explode is the one on Sunday from Gubbio to Siena".  

What can happen between Umbria and Tuscany?  

“The peloton on the dirt roads could split and the race could offer some really significant episodes. Let's take Roglic, one of the top favorites of the Giro. The Slovenian has never taken part in the Strade Bianche race in Siena in spring, as he doesn't think it's suited to his abilities. This time his presence is mandatory in the Giro, so it will be his first time on dirt roads and we'll see how he behaves”.

And after the break comes the Lucca-Pisa time trial.

“Another fundamental stage to give shape to the general classification, to see who has recovered but fortunately the day before there is a rest. In Tuscany, in short, we will be able to see some beautiful things”.

 We hope to see Italians as protagonists too.

"Ciccone has shown to be in good condition. Tiberi gives breath to hopes, we hope for some other type Pellizzari, Piganzoli, Fortunato, involved in the huge fall yesterday".

It's a nice ride and there's a busy last week.

“Let's talk again after the Giro d'Italia has left Tuscany. We'll be able to evaluate everything in the middle of next week.”