How to watch Stage 2 of the Giro d’Italia in Canada
A short TT awaits the riders in Italy
Photo by:
Sirotti
The first men’s Grand Tour of the year is here! The 108th Giro d’Italia is underway. The Corsa Rosa began Friday in Albania and will spend the next two days in that country before heading back to Il Bel Paese.
The Canadians racing are Derek Gee, Hugo Houle, and Nick Zukowsky. This is Zukowsky’s first Grand Tour. Riding with the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, the former national champion will be working hard for team leader Tom Pidcock. Zukowsky has been highly visible this spring, proving to be a consummate workhorse for his squad.
Houle and Gee are there with their Israel–Premier Tech squad. Gee, who had his breakout race at the 2023 Giro, enters this edition in a very different role: as a G.C. favourite. He’ll face stiff competition from former winner Primož Roglič, as well as Richard Carapaz, Mikel Landa, Egan Bernal, and Juan Ayuso. Other big names racing include Wout van Aert, Mads Pedersen (who won Stage 1), Adam Yates, and Giulio Ciccone. Running from May 9 to June 1, the 2025 Giro d’Italia features a mountainous route short on actual summit finishes, another mini-Strade Bianche stage, and the most time trial kilometres of the three 2025 Grand Tours. Gee had a tough first stage, but can hopefully bounce back in Saturday’s TT.
Stage 2 is a short, fast time trial that could suit Gee—the former pursuiter and national time trial champion could use the chrono to vault up in the standings early on.
Several stages could cause problems for overall favourites. The first summit finish, on Stage 7, arrives later than usual for the Giro. It’s a 12.6 km climb to Tagliacozza—not steep on average, but it does hit a tough 14 per cent in places. Stage 9 includes a mini-Strade Bianche, with five sections of white gravel roads adding up to 29.5 km, and ends in Siena’s famous Piazza del Campo. After the second rest day on May 19, the longer of the two time trials has a similar layout to the 13.7 km effort earlier in the race, but it’s twice as long.
Saturday’s racing can be seen on FloBikes.com starting at 7:00 a.m. EDT. Canadian Cycling Magazine will have daily reports and photos afterwards.
Affiliate links present. Canadian Cycling Magazine may receive commissions