At the previous Giro d’Italia, Diego Ulissi wore the maglia rosa for the first time in his career at age 36, becoming the leader of the Corsa Rosa. His compatriot Giulio Ciccone, now 31, had to wait a bit less for his turn in this year’s Italian tour, though his entire career has been marked by disappointments, bad luck, and reinvention—shifting definitively from general classification aspirations to focusing on stage wins over the past couple of years. That’s where his climbing prowess shines and his weaknesses (time-trialing and consistency) diminish. It’s by far his ideal setting, having previously led the Tour de France in 2019.
“Today is one of those days when it’s hard to find words, because since I was a child, I carried this jersey in my heart. My dream as a cyclist was to wear it, so as I’ve always said, even if only for one day, it was truly my childhood dream,” an emotional Ciccone said after Stage 4. Ten years after his first Corsa Rosa and with 16 Grand Tours under his belt, he ends a goal: “I think I’ve been chasing it with all my heart and mind since my first Giro in 2016, and ten years later, when I least expected it—or at least under no pressure—it came so suddenly. It’s one of those moments I want to enjoy, and it makes me feel good about everything.”
For Ciccone, so many setbacks and sacrifices during his career have been rewarded with this prize: “We know very well that cycling has changed; the level is completely different, so life, even off the bike, demands immense sacrifices. Our free time is increasingly scarce, so a very special thanks to all the people who suffer and sacrifice with me.” As for how long he can hold the pink jersey? “I think this will be very good, but we still have tomorrow’s stage, and we need to have our moments before that. The team is very strong. We need to be happy and have fun,” concluded the Lidl-Trek rider. Day by day.
Jhonatan Narváez gave UAE some oxygen after a Giro start that went completely wrong for the team. His win brought light to the team’s tough stretch after the abandonments of Yates, Vine, and Soler, opening a new chapter for the team in a race where they’ll have to fight for stage wins and forget about the overall classification (unless Christen does something similar to Del Toro in 2025). Something unusual for the mighty Emirates squad. “This victory is very important for me. After my crash in Australia in January, I spent three months training in Ecuador. I want to thank my wife, my family, and my team for their support during this difficult period,” said Narváez. The Ecuadorian also remembered his fallen teammates: “Obviously, this victory is also for my teammates who crashed in the first stages of the Giro. We worked well to win this stage. Jan (Christen) is a great kid; he was trying to get the maglia rosa today. He’s a young rider who needs to learn how to race. He did a great finale, and with him ahead, it was just a matter of waiting for the sprint. I took the corner very well. Then, on the final straight, it was all about the legs.” At least one thing is certain: UAE won’t leave the Giro empty-handed. Mission accomplished.
