As it happened: Giro d’Italia race lead changes hands after explosive stage 2 time trial

Hello, buongiorno and welcome to our live coverage of stage 2 of the Giro d'Italia.

After the tense racing of stage 1, today's stage is 13.7km individual time trial around Tirana.

Stage 2 is set to kick off at 13:25 local time, so 12:25 in the UK or 7:10 EST.

Niklas Märkl of Team Picnic PostNL will be the first rider to start the 13.7km time trial around the city centre streets of Tirana.

As always, we'll have all the action and the best updates from the time trial, with full post-stage reaction and analysis. 

This is the map of the time trial.

To fully understand what to expect today, check this excellent preview by Alasdair Fotheringham, who is in Tirana for Cyclingnews along with James Moultrie. 

Giro d'Italia 2025 stage 2 preview: Is this the first real GC day?

As Alasdair writes, stage 1 has already seen Mikel Landa forced to abandon after a terrible crash and other potential top favourites like Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) and Dani Martínez (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) lose time as well, top team managers argue that stage 2's time trial will establish a much clearer pecking order amongst the remaining favourites.

"Stage 2 is like a microcosm of the GC battle," Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe's Sports Director Patxi Vila told Cyclingnews.

"OK, it's only 13 kilometres so it's short and that's a 16-minute effort, more or less. But even so it's going to tell us important stuff, like which of the top names are in really good shape from the get-go.

"At the same time, if it's pretty clear that we and UAE [Team Emirates] are the maximum favourites, this'll give us a better idea of the battle order for each of our riders. It'll give us a better idea of where we are."

As the minutes tick down to the start of the TT, everyone is looking back to Friday's first stage and the impact it had on the race.

Messages of support and tributes have been pouring in for Mikel Landa after the Basque broke his back on stage 1 of the Giro d'Italia. 

'A special guy who does it his own way' - Patrick Lefevere pays tribute to Mikel Landa after Basque breaks his back in Giro d'Italia crash

After the first stage of the 2025 Giro d'Italia, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) wears the maglia rosa of race leader from his victory over Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike). But the tables could turn in the stage 2 individual time trial in Tirana, Albania.

Pedersen has a four-second lead on Van Aert in the Giro d'Italia general classification, but the Belgian is a favourite to take the maglia rosa in the 13.7-kilometre test.

The action starts at 13:25 CET when Niklas Märkel (Picnic-PostNL) heads down the ramp. The German gave up 26 minutes on the opening stage and is last in the GC.

Click below for the full time trial start times.

Giro d'Italia 2025 - Stage 2 time trial start times

Stage 1 was an emotional day for Francesco Busatto (Intermarché-Wanty). He was fourh in the speint in Tirana, pulled on the best young rider's white jersey but was also given a UCI yellow card for "Irregular sprint"

James Moultrie has the full story. 

'Irregular sprint' lands best young rider Francesco Busatto first yellow card of Giro d'Italia, but he retains white jersey

Today is also a big day in women's cycling, with the final stage of the La Vuelta Femenina, check out our special final stage preview by Simone Giuliani.

La Vuelta Femenina 2025 stage 7 preview – Dominant Demi Vollering shows no signs of wavering on Cotobello finale

Tick, tock, tick, tock. The minutes are ticking down to the start of the time trial. 

Fortunately the weather is again good in Tirana, with the city centre course dry and fast. 

Mads Pedersen could not have been happier with how yesterday’s stage played out, which he described as ‘perfection’. He had his team to set him up perfectly for the win yesterday - today, however, he’s all on his own, as he attempts to defend the pink jersey.

STAGE BEGINS

And we’re off! Niklas Märkl rolls down the start ramp to get stage two underway. 

The riders will be setting off at minute intervals, until we get into the last 15 riders, who will set off every three minutes.

Ethan Hayter has just started his ride. In top form he might have been expected to be a contender for both yesterday’s stage and maybe even today’s, but is having a rough time, telling Cyclingnews that he was suffering from stomach problems to the point where he was struggling to breathe.

The order of the time trial is, as usual, based on the reverse order of their position in GC, so all of the riders starting off early had had especially difficult days yesterday. It could be that some of them were holding back in order to attack today’s stage, however - we’ll get a better idea soon once they start reaching the intermediate time checks.

Jan Tratnik could potentially be one such rider. He’s a very powerful time trialist, but finished 13-46 down yesterday. This will be a rare chance for him to ride for himself at this Giro, where his primary goal is to aid Red Bull teammate Primož Roglič’s pink jersey bid.

Niklas Märkl is the first rider through the half-way checkpoint, in a time of 11-41.

Hayter is comfortably the quickest out there on the road. He’s just passed his minute man Govekar, and set the fastest time so far at the time check.

Kasper Asgreen and Maikel Zijlaard are the only riders within 30 seconds of Hayter’s time at the intermediate check.

We have our first finisher! Märkl completes the course in a time of 18-23

NEW FASTEST TIME - HAYTER

Not long after, Hayter has also finished his ride, catching his two-minute man at the line. How long will his time of 16-21 keep him on the hot seat?

Hayter’s already under pressure - Tratnik has beaten his time at the intermediate check by 7 seconds.

Here's Hayter, the early pace-setter.

Here comes Tratnik, it's going to be close...and he just misses out, by four seconds. 

Here’s Kevin Moniquet in the mountain’s blue jersey, against the backdrop of some street art. 

Michael Hepburn is the first rider for a while to come within 10 seconds of Hayter's time at the intermediate check, but he's still some way down, at 13 seconds. Hayter's leads looks safe for now.

One rider who could threaten the lead is Eduardo Affini, who starts in a few minutes. The Italian was second in the opening time trial at the Giro four years ago.

Affini is off. His time trial credentials are clear from the European champion’s jersey he’s wearing.

A lairy moment for Affini, who has to correct himself as he flies round a corner. He’s clearly going for it today.

Affini’s efforts are being rewarded - he’s through the intermediate check with the fastest time so far.

Josef Černý is looking good. He's through the time check with the third fastest time, four seconds quicker than Hayter and seven seconds slower than Affini.

Affini is into the final kilometre, and looking good...

NEW FASTEST TIME - AFFINI

He's smashed Hayter's time, but 8 seconds!

Černý has finished, with the fourth fastest time. He didn't manage to make any inroads in the second half of the course. 

Can Affini’s time be in the running for the stage win? Though many of the world’s leading time trialists aren’t present at the Giro, there are still plenty of very powerful engines here, from specialists like Josh Tarling and Wout van Aert, to GC contenders like Primož Roglič.

Affini’s tims is under threat for the first time - Daan Hoole has just gone through the first time check in exactly the same time.

That’s a very good start for Hoole, who finished fourth behind Affini at the European Championships last year.

Here comes Hoole...and he's just missed out! Affini's time in safe, by just two seconds.

Affini, sporting one of the Visma-Lease a Bike's infamous helmets. Regardless of aesthetics, It’s helped him set the fastest time so far.

Pello Bilbao is the latest rider to start. He’s starting early having lost a packet of time yesterday, almost six minutes in total, meaning he’s already out of GC contention in a race he has already made the top six in on three past occasions.

Aussie champion Luke Plapp has just rolled off the start ramp. He’s another outside GC contender who lost loads of time yesterday (5-45), but, as a top time trialist, may have been holding back with the aim of competing for this stage. He’c certainly gone out hard.

Jay Vine is off and running. He crashed yesterday, and there were some doubts about his continuing the race, but he's made it, and, even having lost so much time, could have a key role to play in helping Juan Ayuso / Adam Yates' pink jersey ambitions.

Bilbao is taking things very easy, going through the first time check over a minute down. GC is not a concern of his.

Plapp's crashed. He's OK and back off the bike, but is out of contention for the stage. 

He had been going well, too, the live time tracker suggesting he was only a few seconds down on Affini.

Jay Vine is flying - he’s beaten Affini’s intermediate time by 5 seconds! He’s showing no signs of hurting following the crash he suffered yesterday.

Mattia Cattaneo has started his ride. He's one of Italy's best hopes for a high finish today. 

Plapp's just crossed the line. He'll be disappointed, but at least he's still in the race. 

Vine's on the finishing straight, he looks like he's going to set the fastest time...

NEW FASTEST TIME - VINE

...and he does, by three seconds!

Vine has already been in good time trialling for his year with fourth-place finishes at both the recent Tour de Romandie, and earlier in the year at the UAE Tour.

Ominously for Vine, the winner that day, 21 seconds ahead of him, was Josh Tarling, who will be setting off later today.

Cattaneo’s reached the time check in the fifth fastest time. It’s a good time, but unlikely to threaten Vine’s.

Elsewhere in Europe, while this Grand Tour gets going, another comes to an end, as the final stage of La Vuelta Femenina has come to a close. Read all about what happened here.

Cattano’s finished with the 7th fastest time of the day so far. He’s one of just six riders to have posted a time within 20 seconds of Vine’s.

A big moment in the race - Josh Tarling sets off! He’s the race favourite, and this is his big day in the race.

Tarling hasn't got a Grand Tour win to his name yet, having placed fifth at the Vuelta opening time trial last year. This would be the biggest win of his career so far, if he can pull it off.

Some of the riders surprisingly dropped on the last climb are out on the road now - Thymen Arensman and Dani Martínez. Unlike some of the GC men who set off earlier today, their time losses weren’t fatal, losing 1-45 and 1-07 respectively; but if they are to get themselves back into contention, they will want strong times today. 

Jay Vine, en route to setting the day's fastest time so far. 

Tarling has gone through the time check, and he’s three seconds down on Vine. However, now he’s got the climb out of the way, the second half of the route suits him better.

Tarling’s teammate Arenemsan is also going well, setting the 6th fastest time at the check. He’s out to start recouping his GC losses.

Another man with time to make back up is Derek Gee, who has just started his ride, having lost 1-07 yesterday. 

Dani Martínez is also going well, setting the fifth best time at the check. He’s not throwing in the GC towel despite his losses yesterday.

Tarling’s into the final kilometre. It looks like it’s going to be close between him and Vine.

NEW FASTEST TIME - TARLING

Tarling does it! By 3 seconds.

Arensman finishes 8th fastest, losing just 22 seconds to Tarling.

Last year’s runner-up and Primož Roglič’s teammate Martínez has also finished, with the same time as Arensman. Both riders have signalled their intention to still ride for GC, despite yesterday’s losses.

Derek Gee also looking good despite yesterday’s losses, reaching the first check with the 7th fastest time.

Gee finishes with the eleventh best time. Though he’s limited his losses compared to yesterday, he certainly doesn’t appear to be in his best form, and usually he’s one of the best time trialists among the GC contenders.

Things are getting serious now. Juan Ayuso, one of the major favourites for the pink jersey, has started.

Ayuso was among the cluster of riders who are ten seconds down on GC, having finished yesterday in the reduced peloton. However, he did crash earlier on, so might not be operating at maximum capacity. At his best, he'd be right up there in contention for the stage win.

Ayuso is being followed by many of his UAE teammates - first Brandon McNulty, who must be considered a contender today having won the opening stage of the Vuelta last year; and Adam Yates, who, along with Ayuso, is the team’s man for the GC.

Egan Bernal is next to leave, sporting for the first time the national time trial champion’s jersey he won in winter. As one of the real wildcards in the GC race, it’ll be fascinating to see how he goes today.

Michael Storer is next off. He’s the man in form, having triumphed at the Tour of the Alps in spectacular fashion, against some of the pink jersey contenders for this Giro. Has he carried that form into the Giro?

Simon Yates has started, riding his first time trial at the Giro since surprisingly winning the opening stage of the 2022 edition. He’s been off form of late, but we’ll get an idea of how well he’s timed his prep for the Giro today.

Ayuso’s through the first time check, 5th fastest and 6 seconds down. That’s OK, but he’s capable of better.

Jai Hindley, winner of the 2022 edition, has set off. 

Adam Yates is 13 seconds down at the time check, 7 seconds behind Ayuso.

Today could be important in establishing a hierarchy at UAE Team Emirates - after yesterday's stage, Yates said that the team are riding with “multiple leaders.”

Bernal’s through the first check, over 20 seconds down. He stands to lose some time today.

Ayuso finishes 6th, 17 seconds slower than Tarling. He shook his head when crossing the line, indicating that he’s so happy with that time.

Primož Roglič has started! Time trials are always a big day for him to make up some time, and if he's really going well, he could challenge Tarling's time.

McNulty post the 5th fastest time. That's 2nd, 5th and 7th as things stand at the finish for UAE.

It appears Tarling has a challenger - Mathias Vacek. He’s 5 seconds up on the Brit at the first time check.

Adam Yates finishes, 37 seconds down on Tarling. That’s solid by the Brit, though he loses 20 seconds to teammate Ayuso.

Bernal’s finished, losing 49 seconds. Like Ayuso, he also shakes his head at the finish. 

Vacek’s nearing the finish, but seems to have lost time to Bernal in the second half of the course…

..and he has, Tarling's time is safe. In fact, Vacek slowed enough to slip down to 4th at the finish.

Simon Yates is 34 seconds slower than Tarling at the finish. Not the rabbit out of the hat he produced three years ago, but solid nonetheless.

Isaac del Toro sets the 10th fastest time. That means there are 4 UAE riders in the top ten at the moment. 

Roglič is flying! He’s reached the first time check at the top of the climb in the same time as Vacek! Tarling will be worried.

Hindley finishes 40 seconds down. That’s set to be much slower than his Red Bull teammate, Primož Roglič.

Romain Bardet finishes 52 seconds down. He looked like he was going hard, suggesting he’s out for a high GC finish in what will be the last Grand Tour of his career.

1,500m left for Roglič, this looks like it's going to be close between him and Tarling.

Roglič swings on the finising straight, he has to do it in 35 secods if he's to beat Tarling...

But he missed out, by a mere second!

Roglič will still be happy with that in terms of his GC hopes, but not as happy as Tarling.

It’s over yet for Tarling, however. With Wout van Aert and Mads Pedersen still to come, there are still riders who can defeat him.

This is the moment Luke Plapp lost control going arond a corner. Thankfully his has been the only crash today.

Richard Carapaz is off. It’s been six years now since his overall victory here, but a strong time trial today would keep him in contention for this year’s pink jersey.

Tiberi’s finished with the 16th fastest time, 16 seconds slower than Tarling. That’s a good ride, and suggests he’s not suffering from the problem that forced him to leave the Tour of the Alps early.

Ciccone is 34th at the finish, 43 seconds down. For a man who always loses time against the clock, that's not bad.

Tom Pidcock starts, leaving only four men left to take to the route.

Carapaz has a scare going around a corner, only just managing to stay upright after losing his balance. That could have been a disaster. 

Busatto is off, wearing the white jersey he earned with his fourth-place finish yesterday. He faces a big challenge defending it today, with Vacek having posted such a strong time.

Now time for Orluis Aular to start. He’s the Venezuelan national time trial champion, but will be facing somewhat stronger opposition today.

Primož Roglič, on his way to posting the second best time of the day

Max Poole has posted the 16th best time at the finish, 25 seconds down on Tarling. It’s looking like he may well be a GC contender this year.

Wout van Aert is the penultimate man to start, wearing the Maglia Ciclamino after his second-place finish yesterday. Time for Tarling to get nervous again…

Van Aert has finished either 2nd or 4th in all 6 of his last race days, stretching back to Dwars door Vlaanderen.  For all the criticism he’s received, that’s remarkably constant - but can he at last win his first race of the season today?

Carapaz has lost 38 seconds at the finish. That could have been much, much worse had he not saved himself from crashing with such a fine bike-handling save.

The last man of the day, Mads Pedersen is off. He's looking great in pink, and wants to cling on to that jersey for another day.

Busatto has lost over 30 seconds at the first time check. He’ll be handing over the white jersey today to Mathias Vacek. 

Pidcock is 37th quickest, at 43 seconds. He’ll slide down the GC, but didn’t sit up, so could still compete for a high GC finish - if that’s the plan.

Van Aert reached the time check, and he’s a long way down! Almost 30 seconds in fact. He doesn’t appear to be fully committed, and won’t be in the mix either for the stage win or the pink jersey. 

That means Pedersen is the last threat to Tarling’s stage win, and the last man who could prevent Roglič taking the pink jersey.

Pedersen’s through the first time check…and he’s ten seconds down. That’s exactly what his lead over Roglič is on GC!

So it seems as though, unless Pedersen can really pull something out the bag, Tarling will win the stage, and Roglič the pink jersey.

It might be over yet, though. The final section flatter section of the route plays more to Pedersen’s strengths than Roglič’s.

Van Aert finishes only 33rd fastest. Given how well he rode to finish yesterday, that’s one of the big surprises of the day.

Pedersen's on the finishing straight, and it looks like he's lost more time.

TARLING WINS

Pedersen arrives at the finish 12 seconds slower than Tarling.

He nearly held on to pink, but Roglič takes it - by just two seconds!

This is a huge day in the career of Josh Tarling. He’s been riding so well for so long that it’s easy to forget he’s still just 21-years-old. This is the first Grand Tour stage win of his career - and potentially the first of many.

As for Roglič, he’s started this Giro in the manner he starts pretty much every Grand Tour he competes in. That already gives him the pink jersey, and a reasonable lead, too - all but 8 riders are over 30 seconds adrift already.

Will Roglič want the pink jersey so early in the race? He has a very strong Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe team to project him, but nevertheless it’s still a big strain to have to defend it at this early stage. With such a slender margin between himself and Pedersen, he might be hoping the Dane can pick up a bonus second somewhere to regain it from him.

One thing Roglič certainly is happy about is the time gains he’s made over his GC rivals. To name a few, he’s gained 16 seconds on Ayuso; 25 seconds on Tiberi; 33 seconds on Simon Yates; 36 seconds on Adam Yates; 37 seconds on Carapaz; 48 seconds on Bernal.

Thanks for joining us today! We’ll be back again tomorrow for stage three, which is a hard one to call, with a large climb to be tackled, but a long descent to the finish. It could be a day for the break, the sprinters, or even the GC contenders. An exciting Albanian start to the Giro looks set to continue.