It’s July, it’s hot, the men’s and women’s pelotons are both deep into grand tour season – and the road.cc Podcast is hitting the road and embracing all the stage racing madness, as part of a new mini-series we’re calling… errr, ‘road.cc on the road’. I’ll think of something better, I promise.
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And kicking off this tentatively titled podcast series, I headed to northern Italy and the self-proclaimed cheese capital of Europe, Bergamo, for the start of the Giro d’Italia Women, one of the biggest, most prestigious week-long races on the calendar.
During my weekend in Bergamo, in-between eating as much casoncelli as I could physically manage, eavesdropping on interminable cat selfie shoots, and dodging thunderstorms and VIP mascots (you’ll have to tune in to find out what that’s about), I caught up with four riders on extreme ends of the Giro experience spectrum: four-time Giro winner Anna van der Breggen, and debutants Anna Henderson, Pfeiffer Georgi, and Irish champion Mia Griffin.
Anna van der Breggen, stage one, 2025 Giro d’Italia Women (credit: Marco Alpozzi/Lapresse)
Speaking in the media area at the team presentation, located beside a children’s playpark (of all things) in Bergamo’s new ChorusLife district, Van der Breggen cut a relaxed, upbeat figure as she prepared for her long-awaited return to a race she’s won four times in the past.
The 35-year-old, after spending three seasons in the SD Worx team car following her initial, temporary retirement from the sport at the end of 2021, has enjoyed a strong comeback season – finishing second at Strade Bianche and third at the Vuelta a España, where she also won a stage, her first victory since the 2021 Giro – despite, she admits, the jump in quality that’s taken place in women’s cycling since she last raced.
“It was quite difficult in the beginning in the peloton, you need to get used to it again,” the double world champion told the road.cc Podcast. “I was scared of a lot of things, and you forget a little bit how to do it. And I felt really stupid!
Anna van der Breggen, 2025 Giro d’Italia Women (credit: Alessandro Garofalo/Lapresse)
“But it also came back really fast – positioning is more important than it was before, because the pace is higher. It’s definitely harder now, for sure. There are more girls who can do a hard pace.
“The level went up, but there are also more teams and more riders, so girls are more professional. It makes sense that it’s improving and that’s what we need. But for me, I used to be able to get to the front at the last moment, but you can’t do that anymore.”
After years of internal external pressure being placed upon her to be the best in the world, this time around, the Dutch star says, she’s doing her best to simply enjoy racing her bike.
Anna van der Breggen, stage one, 2025 Giro d’Italia Women (credit: Marco Alpozzi/Lapresse)
When asked if the improved quality of women’s racing played a factor in her return to the sport, Van der Breggen laughed: “No, because it’s made it harder – and I like it easy! It was more a feeling that I like cycling again and I could do it myself.
“When I quit, I really was done with the pressure, the suffering, everything to do with cycling. So, I really enjoyed my years not riding, sitting in the car, drinking coffee and wine! Those years were good, but I realised more and more that I can still do this.
“And now I enjoy a lot of things more, as well. There is less pressure than before, because of what I’ve done in the past. I’ve won the Giro four times – if I don’t win it this year, my life doesn’t change. I’m still happy, I still have a good time preparing.
“And I realise more that it’s not about how strong you are, and you need to do everything well – that’s not really the case for me anymore. If it’s not working, but I still tried, I’m happy.”
While Van der Breggen’s GC podium bid is currently going to plan at the time of writing (teammate Lotte Kopecky’s withdrawal notwithstanding), it’s fair to say that Anna Henderson’s first crack at the Giro has exceeded all expectations, the British rider winning stage two with a stunning breakaway ride to Aprica, launching her into the fabled pink jersey, which she held for two days.
Anna Henderson, 2025 Giro d’Italia Women (credit: Massimo Paolone/Lapresse)
During our chat at the team presentation, where she described herself as “hot and bored”, the British star and Olympic silver medallist chats about her Giro debut, how she’s adapted to life at new team Lidl-Trek after four years at Visma-Lease a Bike, and the future of the women’s calendar, as the Giro gets ready to move to a late May, early June slot next year.
Unfortunately, Pfeiffer Georgi’s debut Giro didn’t quite go to plan like Henderson’s, however, the Picnic-PostNL rider failing to finish the mountain top finish on stage four to Pianezze.
Before the race, Georgi also discussed her plans for the season and how she’s getting her confidence back, both physically and psychologically, following that horrendous season-ending crash at the Tour de France Femmes last year.
Mia Griffin, 2025 Giro d’Italia Women (credit: Massimo Paolone/Lapresse)
And finally, during the opening time trial through the streets of Bergamo, held in scorching conditions and won by pre-race favourite Marlen Reusser, I chased down and caught up with Roland’s newly crowned Irish champion Mia Griffin.
The 26-year-old from Kilkenny is enjoying her first year on the WorldTour and is the first Irish rider in 15 years to ride the Giro, a debut grand tour ride she will immediately follow up by heading across the border for the Tour de France Femmes later this month.
As she recovered from her 14km time trial effort, Griffin chatted about learning how to race at the highest level, her ambitions for the season and beyond, and why a new generation of Irish talent – led by Tour stage winner Ben Healy – is emerging in both the men’s and women’s pelotons.
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