The Giro d’Italia rolls out from Albania on Friday and in doing so will introduce cycling fans to one of the more mysterious and probably misunderstood countries on the continent of Europe. 

We, too, knew very little about the 'Land of Eagles' but, in January this year, were invited on a remarkable treasure hunt that began with a listener’s enigmatic direct message into Daniel Friebe’s Twitter inbox. The story that then revealed itself - without giving too much away here - was one of an epic cycling journey that also turned into an astonishing voyage of self-discovery, into the so-called ‘Accursed Mountains’ of northern Albania. 

This KM0 is exceptionally available to all listeners, whether Friends of The Cycling Podcast or not. See below for details on how to become a Friend of The Cycling Podcast and thereby help fund our daily, on-the-ground coverage at the Grand Tours and output throughout the rest of the cycling season. 

The episode was written and narrated by Daniel Friebe and produced by Adam Bowie. 

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Dvine Cellars 2025 Girovagando Wine Selection

As every year, Dvine Cellars and The Cycling Podcast have selected six wines that showcase the 'terroir' of the Giro d'Italia. Head to https://dvinecellars.com/products/the-cycling-podcast-giro-ditalia-2025 to make an order.