Bahrain Victorious has dream duo peaking perfectly two weeks before Vuelta a España

Tiberi has been around for a few years, but made his definitive breakthrough in 2024 with a fifth place in the Giro. Six months earlier, he was forced to switch from Lidl-Trek to Bahrain Victorious, where they had the right formula for the now 24-year-old Italian. This year, he seemed to be on his way to a solid classification in his home race, with even a podium place within reach in the Giro. But a crash in the second week put an end to his ambitions.

Tiberi did finish the Giro, even spending a day in the breakaway, but lost any chance of a good classification due to physical discomfort. Caruso took over from him after deliberately not losing any time for two weeks as a super domestique and second-in-command. The 37-year-old veteran had already finished second in 2021 and added a fifth place in May. He rode so well that he promptly added another year to his contract.

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Caruso proved that he is back in form ahead of the Vuelta a España with a stage win on Friday in the fourth stage of the Tour of Burgos. The cheerful Italian was part of the early breakaway and left all his fellow breakaway riders behind in the final. “It was an unexpected move, dictated more by pride and motivation than by my legs, because I was coming off a difficult day yesterday when I couldn’t perform as I wanted. Today, I wanted to give meaning to all the sacrifices and hard work done, and to keep building towards La Vuelta,” he said afterward.

He succeeded, as Caruso was a minute and a half ahead of the first chasers on a day when the GC contenders played it safe. “The breakaway was hard-fought from the very beginning — nothing was given as a gift — and the group included strong riders. To be able to make the difference like that in the final made me realise that Damiano is still here for himself and for the team. After my fifth place at this year’s Giro d’Italia, this is another satisfaction I can give myself this season.” Sports director Neil Stephens was full of praise: “It also makes us more confident ahead of La Vuelta.”

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Tiberi has also made the Vuelta a major goal. After his setback n the Giro, he trained for two months and only recently returned to competition in August in the Clásica San Sebastián. He hopes to get back into top form via the Tour of Poland. “I was very unlucky at the Giro. Up until the crash, I was going really well. I was in the position that we had set as our objective,” he told Domestique, referring to a podium place in Rome. “But bad luck is just part of this sport, unfortunately.”

Tiberi wasn't feeling great after the Giro and, after two months, he was understandably off his rhythm in San Sebastián. “But here in Poland, I’ve come through the first few stages ok, and that’s helped me physically too. Last year, I chose the same approach, but I rode Burgos instead of Poland. That worked well.” However, he had to abandon the 2024 Vuelta due to heatstroke. “My goal is to try to win a stage and give my support to Antonio, who will be competing in the general classification.”