Favorites stage 2 Tirreno-Adriatico 2025 | The streets of Follonica are paved for a sprinter in top form

Never change a winning team! In the first two days of the seven-day stage race, the Tirreno-Adriatico returns to familiar places for the third year. After the individual time trial in Lido di Camaiore on day one, the now familiar route from Camaiore to Follonica will follow on Tuesday. A place for a sprint finish that is often won by someone who also performs well in the weeks that follow... IDLProCycling.com gives you a detailed preview!

Course stage 2 Tirreno-Adriatico 2025

As mentioned, the second stage of Tirreno-Adriatico is a familiar one. The route was the same in 2023 and 2024; the last time was in 2020. It is also a beautiful course that leads along the west coast of Italy from the picturesque town of Camaiore to Follonica, a popular seaside resort in the summer months.

The organization has included one more climb along the way, so the breakaway riders have something to aim for. However, after just under 200 kilometers, we always finish in a bunch sprint on beautiful, wide roads. In the final phase, the route descends slightly, causing the speeds to become incredibly high.

It is also quite technical, starting with a tunnel four kilometers from the finish. Followed by a few chicanes and then a final right-angle turn in the last few hundred meters. It is game over if you are not at the front of the pack there.

Times
Start: 05:30 AM EST
Finish: around 10:46 AM EST

Weather stage 2 Tirreno-Adriatico 2025

Bad weather was predicted for the first days of the Tirreno, but in the time trial on day 1, it was not as bad as expected. In Italy, the weather forecast can change dramatically from one day to the next, so there may be some dry spells and some sun on Tuesday. However, it will not stay dry, and there is a 20 to 30 percent chance of rain throughout the afternoon. This will also be the case in Follonica, so we must be careful on those fast and perhaps wet roads...

Favorites stage 2 Tirreno-Adriatico 2025

Not all the big sprinters are participating in the Tirreno-Adriatico, but we can look forward to a head-to-head duel between two of the world's top riders. In the Lidl-Trek camp, we have Jonathan Milan, who won twice in the Tour of Valencia and the UAE Tour. In the Visma | Lease a Bike camp, we have Olav Kooij, who scored twice in the Tour of Oman and came second in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.

Both men have a decent sprint train, which also goes for two other Dutch riders who have come to the Tirreno. After a concussion in the UAE Tour, Dylan Groenewegen is looking for revenge on behalf of Jayco-AlUla. Casper van Uden, in turn, gets the chance to measure himself against the world's best on behalf of Picnic-PostNL as an up-and-coming sprint talent.

Groenewegen (right) hasn't won yet this year

Are there any other challengers? Yes, definitely! Sam Bennett got off to a good start in 2025 with two stage wins in the Tour de la Provence and can now show what he can do at the highest level. The Irish rider seems to have rediscovered himself at Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale after belonging to the best at Soudal-Quick Step in 2020 and 2021. The Wolfpack is targeting a young rookie named Paul Magnier in this Tirreno.

Everyone had high expectations of the 20-year-old French rider, and he already lived up to them with a stage win in the Star of Bessèges and second place in the Figueira Champions Classic, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Le Samyn. Will he follow up all those podium places with another victory in Italy? Bryan Coquard will also want to win, the French rider who already scored for Cofidis in the Tour Down Under in January. The last outsiders we mention based on form and/or status are Soren Waerenskjold (Uno-X), Paul Penhoët (Groupama-FDJ), Maikel Zijlaard (Tudor), and Pascal Ackermann (Israel-Premier Tech).

And maybe even Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) will try something after his sprint in Le Samyn? Or is leader Filippo Ganna just like in the Algarve?

Favorites stage 2 Tirreno-Adriatico 2025, according to IDLProCycling.com

Top favorites: Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) and Olav Kooij (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Outsiders: Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla), Sam Bennett (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) and Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quick Step)
Long Shots: Casper van Uden (Picnic-PostNL), Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers) Soren Waerenskjold (Uno-X), Maikel Zijlaard (Tudor) and Pascal Ackermann (Israel-Premier Tech)

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

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