Storer defends, Bernal returns, Pellizzari leads the Italians: the Tour of the Alps ready for the start

Only a few hours remain before a milestone edition of the Tour of the Alps gets under way. The cycling event organised by Sport Alto Garda, this year celebrating ten years since the signing of the Euroregional memorandum of understanding, enjoyed an intense build-up day in Innsbruck on Sunday, April 19th, with pre-race admin and the team presentation.

As tradition dictates, the Sunday before stage 1 – 144.3 km starting and finishing on the Rennweg, in the heart of the Tirol’s capital – also hosted the top contenders’ press conference, with three of the biggest names of this 49th edition: Colombia’s Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers), Italy’s Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe) and the defending champion, Australia’s Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling). A delayed flight to Innsbruck kept Britain’s Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) away from the press conference, but the British star did make it onto the team-presentation stage alongside his Pinarello-Q36.5.

Bernal, Pellizzari and Storer each voiced their enthusiasm for the Tour of the Alps in different registers. The Colombian returns nine years on from his last appearance, when he claimed the best young rider’s white jersey at the very first edition of the new Euroregional era, in 2017. The Italian, meanwhile, used the #TotA three seasons ago to announce his talent to the wider public; for the Australian, the 2025 race delivered his definitive breakthrough.

“The Tour of the Alps is a race I love and one I always try to fit into my programme,” said Michael Storer. “I haven’t had big results yet this season, but I’ve prepared very well and I hope to be as competitive as I was last year. The 2025 Tour of the Alps was the highlight of my season, maybe of my entire career, together with third place at Il Lombardia. I think that in 48 hours, the Martell/Val Martello finish will tell us the truth about our ambitions for this Tour of the Alps.”

For his return to racing after the Colombian national title won in February, Egan Bernal has chosen to come back to the Euregio’s race, almost a decade after first making his name on the world stage under Gianni Savio.

“Nine years have passed, but I have wonderful memories: the #TotA is brilliantly organised,” said the winner of the 2019 Tour de France and the 2021 Giro d’Italia. “I’ve trained a lot at altitude in Colombia and I’m curious to gauge my condition. After the knee problem at the start of the season, I preferred to prepare at home, and I’ll try to grow into the race day by day. Goals? When you pin on a number, the target is always the win: I’ll give it everything. For me too, Martell/Val Martello will be the toughest stage, but I have to take it one day at a time and try to do the best I can.”

Italy’s home favourite rest on Giulio Pellizzari, tasked with breaking a drought that stretches back to 2013, when Vincenzo Nibali took victory at the Giro del Trentino.

“It’s a special race for me: every year I ask to ride it because it’s the perfect lead-in to the Giro d’Italia. No Italian has stood on the top step of the podium since Nibali in 2013: becoming the next would carry real meaning. It’s a race where I can prove my worth in the climbs – probably the most demanding event in that respect. After an apprenticeship season in which I learned a huge amount, this year the team is giving me real opportunities to ride my own race. And we’ll have Lorenzo Finn with us too, who will get the room to show what he’s made of.”

Asked about the pre-race favourites, the three riders were unanimous in pointing to INEOS Grenadiers’ Dutchman Thymen Arensman, runner-up at the 2025 edition: another contender to watch.

TOMORROW IN INNSBRUCK: THE OPENING STAGE
Tomorrow, Monday, April 20th, the opening 144.3 km stage starts and finishes in Innsbruck.

The route rolls out fast down the Inn valley, then takes on a 24 km circuit ridden twice, featuring the gentle climb up to the Mieminger plateau. Out of the circuit, the race heads back toward Innsbruck to tackle a second 18 km loop, also ridden twice, with the Götzens climb and the Axams kicker, which doubles as the bonus sprint. The final 20 km lead to the finish in Innsbruck on the Rennweg – the same venue where the 2018 UCI Road World Championships crowned Alejandro Valverde World Champion. The race finish is scheduled between 15:00 and 15:15, CEST.

THE EUROREGIONAL JOURNEY CONTINUES
Before the stage start (11:45 CEST), a ceremony will mark the tenth anniversary of the Tour of the Alps project and the renewal of the Euroregional memorandum of understanding for the next ten years, with Tirol Governor and current Euregio President Anton Mattle, Autonomous Province of Bolzano President Arno Kompatscher, and Autonomous Province of Trento Deputy President Achille Spinelli all in attendance.

TWO HOURS OF LIVE COVERAGE WORLDWIDE 
The list of international broadcasters confirms the Tour of the Alps’ status as a global event, with near-total worldwide coverage.

Eurosport will deliver coverage across Europe and Asia, while HBO Max/Discovery+ and TNT Sports will carry the race in the UK. FloSports will broadcast in the United States and Canada, while X-Sports will serve Brazilian audiences.

The race will also be broadcast on Rai in Italy and San Marino, on ORF in Austria, on L’Equipe TV in France, Monaco and Andorra, and on Sports5 in Israel. EBU News will distribute highlights across Europe, as will NOS in the Netherlands. Live streaming will also be available via the 'Age of Sports' YouTube channel (Infront) in Africa, South America (excluding Brazil), Oceania, and parts of Asia, including Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

The Tour of the Alps will be broadcast live daily from 13:30 to 15:30 (CEST), except for Stage 3 on Wednesday, April 22nd, which will air from 12:30 to 14:30.