As the 2025 Giro d’Italia sets off from Albania, the first time the race has ever started in the Balkans, we’re taking a moment to look back at the last three times the Giro began outside of Italy. From a home crowd in Apeldoorn to the historic streets of Jerusalem and the grandeur of Budapest, these international Grand Departures weren’t just about exotic locations, because for Team Picnic PostNL, these were editions to remember. Two opening stage victories, days in pink, and a lot of unforgettable memories, all in the high-pressure spotlight of a foreign start. Let’s revisit the three most recent times the Giro began beyond Italy’s borders, and what they meant for us.
Apeldoorn 2016 – Hometown Hero
Start Location: Apeldoorn, the Netherlands
Opening Stage: Individual Time Trial, 9.8 km
Stage Winner: Tom Dumoulin
The 2016 Giro began on Dutch soil, and for Team Picnic PostNL, it was the perfect setting for a spectacular start. The short, punchy time trial through the streets of Apeldoorn offered Tom Dumoulin the chance to shine — and in front of a sea of Dutch fans, he didn’t disappoint. With a time just fractions of a second faster than Primož Roglič, Tom claimed the maglia rosa in his home country, kicking off a memorable edition in style. It was a moment of national pride, and a performance that echoed far beyond the borders of the Netherlands.
Our momentum didn’t stop with the stage win. After three stages in the Netherlands, Tobias Ludvigsson was in white as the best young rider, and we were leading the team classification — a testament to collective strength. Later in the race, Nikias Arndt added a final flourish by sprinting to victory in the closing stage in Turin.
Jerusalem 2018 — History, Heat, and Pink Again
Start Location: Jerusalem, Israel
Opening Stage: Individual Time Trial, 9.7 km
Stage Winner: Tom Dumoulin
Two years later, the Giro made history by becoming the first Grand Tour ever to start outside of Europe. The setting? Jerusalem. The temperature? Hot. The competition? Fierce. And once again, Tom Dumoulin and the team rose to the occasion. In a tricky time trial through the ancient city, Tom outpaced Rohan Dennis to take the win and reclaim the maglia rosa — a powerful statement from the defending champion. The rest of the race saw Dumoulin fighting all the way in one of the closest GC battles in Giro history. He and the team eventually finished second overall, after three weeks of tactical precision and sheer resilience.
Budapest 2022 — From a Quiet Start to a Roaring Finish
Start Location: Budapest, Hungary
Opening Stage: Budapest – Visegrád, 195 km
Stage Winner: Mathieu van der Poel
The 2022 Giro opened with a punchy uphill finish in Visegrád — a stage tailor-made for explosive riders like Mathieu van der Poel. For us, it wasn’t a day to shine. The Hungarian Grand Depart came and went without major headlines in our camp, and it was clear we’d have to bide our time. And that’s exactly what we did. As the race unfolded, we grew stronger. In Stage 11, Alberto Dainese surged to a breakthrough victory in Reggio Emilia — marking our first bunch sprint win at the Giro since Marcel Kittel’s double in 2014. It was a textbook sprint and a major milestone for one of the youngest fast men in the peloton. Meanwhile, Thymen Arensman emerged as a Dutch prospect, finishing second on the way to Aprica (Stage 16) and climbing to fifth in Marmolada (Stage 20) — closing out the race with second in the time trial to boot.
Albania 2025 – Looking ahead
Now, the Giro ventures into unfamiliar territory once again: Albania. A new country, a new opening chapter. But if recent history has taught us anything, it’s this: when the Giro goes international, Team Picnic PostNL rises to the occasion. We’ve worn pink, won on home roads and made history in Jerusalem. Multiple Grande Partenza’s have brought out something special in us, and Albania offers the next chance to keep that tradition going.