Three weeks before the 2025 Giro d'Italia, favorites included Primož Roglič and Juan Ayuso. However, following stage 16, newcomer Isaac del Toro has taken the lead, surprising many. With Ayuso now out of the general classification fight and Roglič abandoning the race, it highlights how unexpected challengers like Simon Yates and Richard Carapaz are now contending for victory. The shift showcases the unpredictable nature of cycling and how new talents can rise when established ones falter.
Fast forward to now, however, and the protagonists of this Giro are names that we were told were outsiders or top 10 fodder when we headed to Albania.
After stage 16, Del Toro leads the general classification, and after a week of tug-of-war with Ayuso, he's now undisputed leader at UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
Losing a huge chunk of time, Ayuso is now definitively out of the GC fight. Roglič abandoned on Tuesday after already conceding that his GC fight was over.
As for those riders we thought would be just fighting for the top five or top 10, well, they're the ones making this race, looking the strongest, and ultimately fighting for pink.
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