Antonio Tiberi is still only 24 years old, but the Italian has already started six Grand Tours. Tiberi has ridden the Giro d'Italia twice and has made four appearances in the Vuelta a España. A debut in the Tour de France has yet to materialize, but according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, that is about to change.
Ciro Scognamiglio, a journalist for the Italian sports newspaper, reports on social media that Tiberi will make his first acquaintance with the Tour de France next year. According to Scognamiglio, it is likely that Tiberi will share leadership duties with the Frenchman Lenny Martinez.
When Tiberi turned professional, he was primarily viewed as a gifted time trialist (he became junior world champion in the time trial in 2019) with all-round capabilities, but the Italian has increasingly developed into a GC contender. His breakthrough as a stage racer came in 2024, in the Giro d'Italia. That year, he impressively finished fifth overall in his home Grand Tour.
However, Tiberi struggled to confirm his form during the past cycling season. He started both the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España with general classification ambitions, but both attempts ended in sporting failure. On the upside, Tiberi did reach the final podium at Tirreno-Adriatico (3rd) and the Tour of Poland (2nd) this year.
Is Santiago Buitrago the designated team leader for the upcoming Giro? - photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
Buitrago to the Giro?
While Bahrain Victorious seems set to rely on the Tiberi-Martinez duo in the upcoming Tour de France, the other team leader – Santiago Buitrago – is likely gearing up for the Giro d'Italia. The 26-year-old Colombian has already taken part in La Corsa Rosa twice, and not without success. He won a stage both on his debut in 2022 and in 2023, finishing inside the top fifteen overall in both editions.
