Before the racing has even begun, every Grand Tour starts with a bang, or a whimper, or something in between. The rider presentation – typically held midweek, ahead of the first stage – is an opportunity for local dignitaries to rub shoulders with event organisers, showcase some local culture – especially in the event of a foreign start – and roll out the local dance troupes.
Of the three Grand Tours, the Giro d’Italia reliably offers the most eccentric presentations. In part that’s a function of its globe-trotting ways: recent editions have brought the Giro to Israel, Hungary, and, as of 2025, Albania. That brings a whole raft of different cultural interactions to the fore, and this year’s edition was no exception. Was it worth your time to watch it? No, almost certainly not. But it’s my solemn duty to have done just that: to sit through an hour and a half of pain and report back on the blurred lines between bicycle racing and nationalism and televised talent show.
Do you want to know about the dance breaks? Would you like to see EF Education-Easypost's new Giro kits? Do you want to know how many F-bombs were dropped? There's more after the jump, but you'll have to be a member to read it.
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