The prestigious cycling race “Giro d’Italia” has selected Albania to host the “Grande Partenza 2025” (The Grand Start 2025), beating out several competing nations. This major event, scheduled for May, will be broadcast live on over 200 television networks worldwide.

At the official announcement, Prime Minister Edi Rama emphasized the significance of this opportunity for Albania, describing it as a pivotal moment for the country.

“This legendary race, with a 114-year history, will gather the world’s top cyclists in Tirana, Durrës, and Vlorë this May. It will captivate hundreds of millions of viewers globally,” said Rama.

He highlighted the fierce competition among nations to host the event and underscored the importance of Albania’s selection. The “Giro d’Italia” will showcase the country to an audience of over 800 million spectators, providing a platform to promote Albania’s natural beauty and progress.

“It’s a great pleasure to announce that RCS Sport has confirmed Albania as the host for the ‘Giro d’Italia Grande Partenza 2025’. Many nations competed for this honor, making our selection even more meaningful. We have outshined larger and wealthier countries to share our magnificent homeland with the world,” Rama added.

The event will span three days across Tirana, Durrës, and Vlorë, featuring the best cycling champions. It promises extensive global media coverage, putting Albania firmly in the spotlight.

“This is also a chance to showcase Albania’s remarkable development in recent years. We’ve taken a bold step into the ‘Champions League’ of nations, despite competing with countries that have been open to the world for centuries. In just 30 years, Albania has achieved extraordinary progress,” Rama noted.

Rama also hinted at Albania’s aspirations to host the “Grande Partenza 2026”, expressing confidence in the nation’s growing reputation as a destination for world-class events.

“I’ve always said we’re like a ‘small Italy.’ Now, we truly are Italy across the sea, hosting an event of this magnitude. While this is our first time, I hope it won’t be the last. We’ll work hard to secure the Grand Start for 2026 as well,” Rama concluded.

/k.s/