*** Bahrain Victorious target podium in Tour of the Alps | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Bahrain Victorious target podium in Tour of the Alps

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

The 48th Tour of the Alps, one of cycling’s toughest stage races, begins Monday with Team Bahrain Victorious aiming to build on last year’s third-place finish. Spanning 747km and featuring over 16,000m of climbing, the five-day event is considered a critical warm-up for the Giro d’Italia.

Italian climber Antonio Tiberi, last year’s third-place finisher, returns as team leader alongside veteran Damiano Caruso, a 2021 Giro runner-up. Sports director Gorazd Štangelj confirmed Tiberi’s role as the squad’s GC contender, with Caruso providing tactical support. “This race is a dress rehearsal for the Giro,” Štangelj said. “We want another podium to confirm we’re on track.”

The route opens with a brutal 148km stage featuring two major climbs, setting the tone for a week of relentless ascents. Young riders Afonso Eulálio and Kasper Borremans will assist Tiberi in the mountains, while Fran Miholjevic and Finlay Pickering handle flat sections and breakaways. Stage 4, the “Queen Stage,” is expected to be decisive, with steep climbs culminating in a punishing finale.

The Tour of the Alps runs from April 15-19, ahead of the Giro d’Italia’s May 10 start. The race concludes in Austria’s Lienz after a short but brutal 112km stage featuring double-digit gradients.