Carapaz, for instance, has never finished worse than fourth in his three Giro appearances – 4th in 2018, victory in 2019, and 2nd in 2022, when he was edged out by Hindley in that thrilling final showdown on the Marmolada. The last couple of seasons have seen him chasing his best form and the end of 2024 offered some promising signs: a stage win and the polka dot jersey at the Tour de France, followed by a 4th-place overall at the Vuelta a España. His start to 2025 hasn’t been spectacular, but if there’s one race where he can turn things around, that’s the Giro.
Bernal’s story, on the other hand, was dramatically altered by the horrific crash he suffered in January 2022, just seven months after his Giro triumph, when he collided with a parked bus during training. The result: 20 fractures across his body and a genuine risk he might never walk again, let alone riding a bike. But the beloved Colombian climber never gave up. He returned to racing and now dreams to finally be able to fight for GC in a Grand Tour again. What matters most, as he has always reminded us, is simply being back in the bunch, chasing ambitions that once seemed lost. This January, he took his first wins since that fateful crash, claiming both the time trial and road race titles at the Colombian Nationals. A month later, he fractured his collarbone at the Clasica Jaen, but bounced back yet again with 7th overall at the Volta a Catalunya in March. He may not be the same Bernal of old, but he will still be one of the most cheered riders in the race.