On the eve of the race, Tiberi, Gall, Hindley and defending champion Lopez predict five thrilling and unpredictable days across the Euregio roads. “Tomorrow’s stage to San Lorenzo Dorsino will already set the tone”
It was a different kind of Easter in San Lorenzo Dorsino: this small village at the foot of the Brenta Dolomites, in the Paganella area, was abuzz with excitement ahead of the grand start of the 48th edition of the Tour of the Alps, which kicks off Monday, April 21st, with a stage beginning and ending in the Trentino town.
The excitement is visible in the final course preparations, on people’s faces, and — more than anything — in the voices of the riders who are set to battle it out across five stages through Trentino, Südtirol/Alto Adige and Tirol.
Before the official team presentation — which saw all 16 teams (including eight WorldTour outfits) introduced on stage at the Teatro Comunale in San Lorenzo Dorsino — four of the most anticipated contenders shared their expectations during the first official press conference of the event organized by GS Alto Garda.
WORDS FROM THE FAVORITES
Gathered in San Lorenzo Dorsino were Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) and Felix Gall (Decathlon-AG2R), representing Italy and Austria’s top hopes, as well as Juan Pedro Lopez (LIDL-Trek) and Jai Hindley (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), respectively winner of the 2024 Tour of the Alps and the 2022 Giro d’Italia. Different journeys and backgrounds, but one shared view: this year’s Tour of the Alps promises to be a thrilling race with no obvious favorite.
“The Tour of the Alps has always been an intense race, with a high-quality startlist and very open tactical scenarios,” explained Jai Hindley, returning to the Euregio after a crash-induced withdrawal in the 2021 edition. “It’s a race that really suits my characteristics, with plenty of opportunities to attack. There are many riders capable of aiming for the podium, and I want to be up there with them. While it’s part of my build-up to the Giro, this race always delivers important feedback. If you’re going well here, you can aim for the pink jersey.”
Antonio Tiberi already stepped onto the Tour of the Alps podium last year, but this time, he’s aiming higher — and he’s not hiding it. “This is a key step toward the Giro, but it’s more than that. I’m here to try to win a stage and go for the general classification. It’s a personal goal and a team goal,” Tiberi said.
“Last year I was still discovering myself, my first season with leadership responsibilities. Now, I have more ambition and confidence in my abilities. The last Italian to win the Tour of the Alps (then Giro del Trentino) was Vincenzo Nibali — succeeding him would be a huge honor.”
Italy’s best hopes to break a title drought that has lasted over a decade rest on Tiberi and Giulio Ciccone, one of the many strong options within a powerful Lidl-Trek squad. Alongside Ciccone, Geoghegan Hart and Kämna, stands the defending champion: Juan Pedro Lopez.
“The Tour of the Alps gave me my first professional win — it was and always will be a special race for me. This year we’ve got an even stronger team and we’ll carry the pressure of leading the race from day one. Our GC focus is on Ciccone, but it won’t be easy — this race is full of surprises. San Lorenzo Dorsino is the only summit finish, and I believe it could already be very meaningful for the GC. But here, anything can happen on any day.”
Of the four headliners, Felix Gall is the only one not planning to ride the Giro d’Italia. His first half of the season is built around the Tour of the Alps — with the final stage finishing in his hometown of Lienz, it’s an opportunity too good to pass up.
“This race brings back special memories, and when I saw it would finish in Lienz, I made sure to include it in my calendar. It’s a fantastic race that suits my style, especially the last two stages. I’m here to give it everything — it’s a big goal in this first part of the season. With short stages and punchy profiles, it’s going to be five relentless days with no single rider in control — and that’s how we like it. I’ll go all in for stages and the GC. And at home, I’ll have the extra motivation of the home crowd.”
TOMORROW, MONDAY: STAGE 1 — SAN LORENZO DORSINO TO SAN LORENZO DORSINO
The real action starts tomorrow morning: 148.5 km await the peloton in the opening stage, entirely within Trentino, starting and finishing in San Lorenzo Dorsino (start time: 11:30 CET). The stage features 2,750 meters of elevation gain and retraces the traditional “giro del Brenta” loop. Riders will climb to Andalo before descending into Val di Non and Val di Sole, where they’ll tackle the first KOM of this edition — Passo Campo Carlo Magno.
The finale heats up on Passo Durone: 6.3 km at an average 8% gradient, cresting just 20 km from the finish. The road kicks up again in the final 10 km, first gently, then sharply in the final stretch before we discover the first leader of the 2025 Tour of the Alps.
The opening day of #TotA 2025 will also feature a full schedule of side events — from a ride with #TotA ambassador Daniel Oss, to the presence of players and staff from Italian Serie A Aquila Basket Trento, returning the visit made a few weeks ago by the race to "Il T Quotidiano Arena" for the Ride&Dunk initiative.
Stage 1 of the Tour of the Alps will be broadcast live in over 100 Countries from 13:30 to 15:30 (CET).
