Giro demands Alaphilippe or Hirschi’s presence, otherwise we’ll see Pidcock at the start in Albania this May

The battle for the wildcards for the Grand Tours is in full swing, although there is still a chance that the number of participating teams will be expanded. For the Vuelta a España, the choices seem largely set. However, for the Tour de France—and especially the Giro d’Italia—things remain exciting, with high-level 3D chess, according to Cyclingnews.

In recent years, the Vuelta organizers have used an effective rotation system, ensuring that the four existing Spanish ProTeams are guaranteed a spot at least once every two years in the Spanish Grand Tour. For the Giro and the Tour, the decisions used to be less complicated. But that has changed with the emergence of Tudor and Q36.5, as more teams—rightly so—are now vying for these coveted golden tickets.

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Turgis' victory in the Tour 

TotalEnergies in the Tour, but who will join them?

There is speculation that the UCI is considering handing out an extra wildcard to the Grand Tours in 2025. This would expand the peloton from 176 to 184 riders, but it also raises questions about safety—after all, concerns over safety were a key reason for reducing peloton sizes in recent years. Until it becomes clear what will and will not happen, teams will have to do everything they can to get on the organizers’ good side.

According to current UCI rules, the eighteen WorldTour teams automatically receive an invitation to the Grand Tours, along with the two highest-ranked ProTeams of 2024. Lotto and Israel-Premier Tech will join the eighteen WorldTour teams in the Tour. As it stands, TotalEnergies is also set to line up in Lille on July 5. Q36.5 with Tom Pidcock will not be at the start, leaving Tudor Pro Cycling and Uno-X still in contention for the final spot.

Uno-X has performed well over the past two years and fully justified its wildcard. Jonas Abrahamsen, for instance, wore the polka-dot jersey during the first ten days last year. Meanwhile, Anthony Turgis delivered a stunning victory for TotalEnergies in the cobblestone stage in 2024. Tudor, on the other hand, has signed Julian Alaphilippe and Marc Hirschi and seems confident about making its Tour debut. The Tour organizer, ASO, will announce the wildcards on January 18, 2024, so a final decision is coming soon.

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Will Hirschi debut in the Giro d'Italia? 

Giro demands presence of Alaphilippe or Hirschi; otherwise, Pidcock grabs the wildcard

The battle for the Giro is still wide open. Lotto will not be participating, leaving three wildcards up for grabs. Who will start in Albania remains unclear. Many team managers were present at this week’s Giro route presentation, and RCS, the organisation behind the Giro, is trying to leverage the battle to its advantage.

An announcement is expected next week, but various teams told the British cycling website that negotiations are still in full swing. RCS is playing hardball and—understandably—aiming to secure the most favorable position for itself. The Italian ProTeams Team Polti VisitMalta and VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè appear to be assured of a wildcard, so the real contest is between Q36.5 and Tudor. Uno-X has already indicated it’s not interested.

Q36.5 team manager Doug Ryder has brought Tom Pidcock over from INEOS Grenadiers, hoping that will be enough to secure a Giro wildcard. Tudor, on the other hand, has served since 2023 as the “official timekeeper” of all RCS Sport races.

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Presence of Alaphilippe could be crucial for Tudor

Vegni not keen on expansion plans

A reliable source told Cyclingnews in Rome on Monday that RCS Sport is demanding that Tudor include either Alaphilippe or Hirschi in their Giro squad in order to secure a 2025 wildcard. Otherwise, the spot would go to Q36.5 and Pidcock. Giro d’Italia race director Mauro Vegni was evasive when asked about the wildcards: “The Giro wildcards are not yet decided. You’ll have to wait another week until we make an announcement.”

He was also not enthusiastic about expansion plans. “I’m not interested in having 23 teams at the 2025 Giro as a solution to the problem of teams fighting over a final spot. If it were up to me, I would grant automatic invitations to the top 14 WorldTour teams and then leave six spots as wildcards to be allocated by the organizer.”

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