Ciccone avoids Giro talk but with help from Oomen and famous friends, he can't deny he’s in top form

Ciccone was ecstatic when he crossed the finish line first in South Tyrol. The climber's last victory was in 2023 when he won a stage in the Dauphiné. This made us almost forget his signature celebration: throwing his expensive sunglasses into the audience and raising both arms in the air. "I don't have that many pairs of sunglasses, so maybe I should ask the team for some more," Ciccone laughed when asked if this was becoming an expensive hobby.

Ciccone won for the eleventh time in his career, and it wasn't the first time after a punch from a small group. He is very explosive and was, therefore, already the top favorite for the first Tour of the Alps stage. "Today was a good finish for me, so I already had it in my head yesterday. We had a plan and executed it perfectly. I have to thank all my teammates. It was a tough day; we rode very hard from the start. The course was also difficult, so I'm very happy."

The fact that his last victory was almost two years ago profoundly affected the always-ambitious Italian. "It was a long time without a victory for me; I really needed it today. Last year was difficult for me because I was often close to victory but never really won." Ciccone, therefore, calls 2024 'a transition year.' "Mainly because of my surgery on my buttocks in December 2023. Still, I came close to a stage victory in the Tour de France and finished third in Lombardy. So it wasn't that bad."

"This year, we started from scratch, and everything is going well," he said with satisfaction. "It's super special to win in Italy, a race I love. After a long time at altitude, it's always good to come back with a win. My greatest victory? When you win, it's always exceptional. And because I don't win every year, I remember all my victories. In today's cycling, a stage victory with such a field of competitors is really cool, so I'll remember this one forever."

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Ciccone didn't necessarily want it to come down to a sprint on the mountain finish. He had already tried it on the second-to-last climb of the day but without success. "The pace was pretty high on that climb, but I saw riders attacking, so I thought, let's test the competition and attack. Maybe we could have continued with a small group, but now it was just an attempt. The feeling was just really good."

And so he went into the finish in San Lorenzo Dorsino full of confidence, where, on paper, his legs were more explosive than those of many of his opponents. "Does this say anything about the relative strengths in this race? That's hard to say because the climbs were very fast, but not at top speed. I expect certain riders to stand out in the coming days, but I can't name any. So many strong guys are testing their form ahead of the Giro d'Italia."

The Giro d'Italia is a bit of a forbidden word for Ciccone during all the press moments after the first stage. He missed his home race in 2023 due to COVID-19 and in 2024 due to buttock surgery. The priority is to finish the Tour of the Alps. "I've never won a stage race, which I often think about. Maybe this Tour of the Alps is the moment. We hope to keep the leader's jersey with this team until the final day."

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The team is cautious, but Ciccone agrees that he has had a smooth ride so far in 2025. “I got off to a good start this year, and the team is following a specific plan. Things are going well, and the altitude training ahead of the Giro was also important. I spent a month at altitude with my teammates, and we were able to train well. In the end, you never know if it's enough when you return to racing, but the feeling was good. This victory just boosts my confidence and confirms my level."

During the altitude training in Sierra Nevada, Ciccone shared a room with Sam Oomen. The Dutchman already mentioned this on Sunday during the team presentation: "During our altitude training in April, we stayed in the same apartment and spent many hours together. We really got to know each other, which was great fun." Cicco also appreciated the month with Sam. "I had a great time with Sam. It's always good to be in good company during an altitude training camp."

Altitude training is a well-known concept in cycling, but according to Ciccone, it's not a walk in the park. "It's tough on the mind, but I also know how important these camps are for me. At altitude, I can really focus on training and nutrition. It's one of my qualities: I'm always in good shape right after altitude training camp. Other riders sometimes need a little more time; it's just how the body reacts. I like to race right after an altitude training camp because I often feel excellent."

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Ahead of the first day of the Tour of the Alps, Ciccone had strong legs, and on top of that, he got a mental boost. His teammate Skjelmose won the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday, which he watched from the sidelines. "Mattias did a great job. It was no surprise to me because I know how strong he is, and when I saw him in front of Pogacar and Evenepoel, I was confident of a victory. You never know after a six-hour race like that, and Mattias is really very strong."

Later that evening, Ferrari scored a victory in the WEC (FIA World Endurance Championship) at the Imola circuit. Why is that important? Ciccone is friends with Ferrari WEC driver Antonio Giovinazzi and tennis hero Jannik Sinner. "I was the only one in our group of friends who hadn't won anything in 2025, and we joked about that Sunday evening after Antonio's victory," laughed Ciccone.

He didn't have to endure the teasing for long because, on Monday evening, he could strike back in the group chat. "Antonio won at Imola, and Jannik has already won the Australian Open this year, among other things. This victory has restored the balance, haha! Seriously though, I must thank them, because my friends are very important to me. In top-level sports, it isn't easy to stay focused all the time, especially when you're at altitude training and far away from your family. So it's nice to feel close to the people around you."

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])