The Fanini family, which for half a century has dedicated its soul and body to promoting cycling worldwide, could not miss the presentation of the Giro d'Italia 2025, which brings Lucca back to the spotlight with a time trial stage on May 20th, absolutely crucial for the overall classification.

Cristian Fanini, son of the historic patron of Amore e Vita and renowned talent scout Ivano Fanini, was present in Rome to celebrate this prestigious, further return of the Giro d'Italia to Lucca. Cristian greeted the great personalities who were part of the Amore e Vita team, such as Stefano Allocchio, today's race director, but also Mauro Vegni, general director of the Giro d'Italia, and Urbano Cairo, leader of RCS organizing this event, all linked to the cycling and human history of Ivano Fanini and his sporting and social creation.

"Speaking as a passionate fan," declared Cristian Fanini, "I am enthusiastic about this Lucca stage, which will not be a simple transit stage, but one of the most important of the Giro. In a time trial, riders cannot hide, and all the main contenders will give their maximum to gain a significant advantage ahead of the challenging mountain stages. The show is guaranteed, in one of the most beautiful and evocative scenarios in Italy. I want to sincerely thank RCS, in the person of President Urbano Cairo, on behalf of my father Ivano, for offering our city this extraordinary opportunity for international visibility. I also thank the Giro d'Italia race director, my friend Stefano Allocchio, who this year will once again manage what I believe is the most beautiful cycling event in the world."

The Giro d'Italia route will also touch Lucca during the eleventh stage, departing from Viareggio and arriving in Castelnovo ne' Monti, thus offering fans a double appointment with the emotions of great cycling.

"I want to emphasize," continues Cristian Fanini, who reached the capital with FCI Lucca President Pierluigi Castellani, vice president Giuseppe Tomei, Benedetto Piccinini, new FCI president of the Province of Pisa, but a Lucca native and creator of the memorable 2013 Lucca-Florence Cycling World Championship, and entrepreneur Lido Del Carlo, "that all this would not have been possible without the extraordinary commitment of Mayor Mario Pardini and the councilor and vice-mayor Fabio Barsanti. Their work in the last two years to enhance our city through our beloved sport has been exceptional, together with that of the federation. It is especially thanks to them that we reached this important agreement with RCS. Lucca deserves to host a Giro d'Italia stage, not only for its undeniable beauty but also for its historic contribution to cycling over the last fifty years, a merit that must also be recognized to my father and our Amore e Vita team, which in past years has won numerous Giro stage victories, including the white jersey classification for best young rider."

From a technical point of view, the route of this 2025 Giro appears perhaps less challenging compared to some previous editions, but the start from Albania immediately presents challenges for the classification riders who will always need to remain very focused. However, difficulties will be constant throughout the Giro route, promising great spectacle.

"Many predicted Vingegaard as the number one favorite, and I sincerely hoped so too, since he was discovered by our former rider Brian Pedersen," concludes Cristian Fanini. "However, the news of his absence opens the race to numerous contenders. If the Dane were to decide to participate at the last minute, he would remain the favorite; otherwise, I believe we will see a new winner, perhaps not entirely unknown, like the Spaniard Ayuso, who is very strong uphill and competitive in time trials. I predict a first part of the Giro favorable to Belgian champion Wout Van Aert, a classics specialist who can make his mark in Albania on several occasions. I see him as a protagonist also in the Siena stage, with thirty kilometers of gravel on the Strade Bianche route and finish in Piazza del Campo. Subsequently, the scene will pass to the climbers, with Roglic as a reference point and new talents like Ayuso and Tiberi ready to challenge him. Beyond the technical analysis, my heart as a fan beats especially for two great champions: our Antonio Tiberi (whom I definitely see on the podium) and Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics and already winner of the Giro d'Italia in 2019 and on the podium of the Vuelta Espana and Tour de France. Both are somehow linked to my team and consequently to my family because they are trained by Michele Bartoli, the last great classic hunter of Italian cycling, discovered by my father and grown professionally in the Fanini teams. Moreover, Carapaz was launched into cycling by the late Rosero, the first Ecuadorian to turn professional thanks to my father in 1989 at the Pepsi-Fanini team. So I truly hope that one of them can win, I would be deeply happy," concludes Cristian Fanini.