Former Australian national time trial champion lives up to his billing with a fantastic performance, as UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates ride strongly
News | Team –10th May 2025
Jay Vine came narrowly close to picking up his first Giro d’Italia stage victory on day two in Albania, with the UAE Team Emirates-XRG man finishing in third place, just three seconds down on the winner Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers). The Australian spent a period in the hot seat before being toppled by the British national time trial champion, marking a strong response to his stage 1 crash.
On the 13.7km-long individual time trial in Tirana, the former Australian national time trial champion produced a blistering performance that saw him complete the course in 16’10”, averaging over 50 km/h. Just 24 hours earlier, Vine had hit the deck on the Giro’s opening stage, forcing him to start stage 2 with a bandaged right knee. However, the Australian showed his strength, resilience and good form to be amongst the best on Saturday afternoon.
In the end, the 29-year-old was bettered only by Tarling and second-placed Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), both of whom had Vine’s time as a marker. For UAE Team Emirates-XRG, the afternoon was certainly successful, with Brandon McNulty, Isaac del Toro and Juan Ayuso all posting quick times, as Adam Yates did his best on unfavourable terrain.
The British climber battened down the hatches and rode admirably to remain just 36 seconds off the race lead heading into the third and final stage in Albania. That race lead is held by Roglič, who did just enough to dislodge pink off the shoulders of stage 1 winner Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek). As the American team bid adieu to the maglia rosa, the American national champion in this discipline, McNulty, stopped the clock with a top-10 time, as did his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate Ayuso.
McNulty ended the day just 13 seconds down on Tarling, with Ayuso four seconds back. Both riders remain in the top five overall, with teammate Del Toro in sixth. The Mexican finished just outside the top 10 on stage 2, coming across the line 18 seconds down on the benchmark.
All three riders can be happy with their showings, putting UAE Team Emirates-XRG into a strong position heading into Sunday’s stage, which will take the peloton above 1,000m for the first time.
Elsewhere, young Italian Filippo Baroncini finished just outside of the top 20 on the day, with Rafał Majka and Igor Arrieta keeping their powder dry for the Emirati squad.
Reflecting on his bounce-back display, Vine was certainly content with his day’s work in the Albanian capital.
Vine: “I was a bit worried last night about my knee and whether I would take the start today. But after breakfast and the recon, I felt I could still push, and I didn’t want to waste the opportunity to perform in my favourite event, the time trial.
“So I went ahead and prepared as normal, and I am really happy to come away with a podium. The form is definitely there, so I look forward to the rest of the Giro and I’m incredibly grateful my injuries weren’t more severe.”
Giro d’Italia 2025 stage 2 results
1. Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) 16’07”
2. Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) +1″
3. Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +3″
8. Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +13″
10. Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +17″
General classification after Giro d’Italia stage 2
1. Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) 3:52:32
2. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) +1″
3. Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) +5″
4. Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +12″
5. Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +16″
6. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) +17″
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