Rome, Italy - January 13, 2025 The Italian Mauro Vegni, director of the Giro d'Italia, acknowledged this Monday the likely absence of the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar and encouraged the participants to attack to create excitement during the 'Corsa Rosa'. Camera: DANIEL CÁCERES. STATEMENTS BY MAURO VEGNI, DIRECTOR OF THE GIRO D'ITALIA, IN ITALIAN: 1) But it's certainly a very demanding race and then, as you know very well, it's the riders who have to make the race hard, but we have set up, so to speak, a program that is ideal for all types of riders. We'll have three weeks in crescendo to get to the last week, where the winner of the Giro d'Italia will be decided, so it's certainly a course suitable for a grand tour. 2) Yes, of course. Not only do we have the uphill finishes that are difficult by nature, but we have a lot of stages that can challenge all kinds of riders, so it will certainly be a course suitable for any kind of attacker, so hopefully there will be attackers who want to do well in the Giro and give people a good show. 3) About Pogacar's participation: let's say there is no official news, but anyway he has already stated somehow that he will probably only do the Tour and the Vuelta this year, so. But it's also logical, nowadays there are no riders who can do all three grand tours. This year he had done intense, in 24, he had done Tour and Vuelta, this year between Tour and Vuelta there is, there is also this, however, I mean, the Tour is not made only of Pogacar. There are a lot of important players and if they also give the show we think it's the right one. It will also be a show for the people who are on the roads and who are in front of the TV watching the Giro d'Italia. [Restrictions: Spain, Latin America, or the U.S. Hispanic market]