Date: Sunday, June 1
Distance: 143km
Start location: Vatican Gardens
Finish location: Rome
Start time: 16:06 CEST
Finish time: 18:46 CEST (approx.)
“Habemus Maglia Rosa!” Just as white smoke was emitted from the Sistine Chapel three weeks ago to announce the decision that Leo XIV was to be the new Pope, today Rome will honour the winner of the 2025 Giro d’Italia. The processes of each could hardly be more different, the former chosen in the matter of a few days behind closed doors in the secretive Conclave, the latter out in the open after three weeks of gruelling racing, but both showcase the Italians’ flair for the occasion, the lavish jerseys and decorous ‘Trofeo Senza Fine’ trophy worthy of Papal pomp and ceremony.
The final stage will begin in the Vatican Gardens, the green area dating back to the Renaissance that makes up half of the Vatican City. Formerly the private residence of the Pope, Leo’s predecessor opened them up to public access in 2014, and now the peloton will amble through them for a neutralised start. Upon exiting Vatican City they will head south-west until arriving at Ostia, the seaside resort on the Tyrrhenian coast, before heading back in the same direction to complete 8 laps of a 9.5km circuit around Rome.
The Giro often changes the location and format of its final stage, but this will be the third year in a row that it ends with a flat circuit stage in the capital. Last year Tim Merlier was triumphant, charging along the cobbled street of Via San Gregorio to take the sprint ahead of Jonathan Milan. The victory saw him draw level with Milan on three stages apiece, but it might have been a different story had the Italian not spent the previous 8km frantically trying to get back into contention having suffered a mechanical at the start of the final lap. The year before Mark Cavendish was the victor, latching onto the wheel of Fernando Gaviria and coasting past him to take what was the last of his 17 Giro stage wins.
Though taking place in the same city, the precise location of the finish will be different today. The riders will hug the banks of the Tiber from 2.5km from the finish, before swinging left onto Via del Circo Massimo for a straight final 350m. Crucially, this finishing straight is slightly uphill, tilting uphill at an incline of 5%. It’s about as big a ‘hill’ as the riders will have to face all day on this pan flat parcours, but it’s enough to change the dynamic of the sprint, giving an edge to the punchier riders over the pure sprinters.
Contenders
With the 2025 Giro d’Italia concluding in Rome on Sunday, the final stage offers one last opportunity for sprinters to make their mark. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) enters the Roman finale in control of the maglia ciclamino, having displayed consistency and strength throughout the race to secure four stages.
Among his key rivals is Olav Kooij (Visma–Lease a Bike), who powered to victory in the sprint on stage 12. With momentum on his side and his team full of confidence after Simon Yates won the overall title on stage 20, Kooij will be highly motivated to snatch another win in the Italian capital. Kaden Groves (Alpecin–Deceuninck), who has been a regular presence near the front, remains a serious contender despite limited team support in the finales. His knack for navigating chaotic sprints on his own keeps him in the mix. However, Sam Bennett (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), still chasing a stage win, and his team will be under pressure to deliver, although they at least have won stage thanks to Nicolas Prodhomme on stage 19.
Casper van Uden (Team Picnic PostNL), who grabbed an early win in Lecce, showed strong legs again on stage 12, though an early kick cost him in the end. He’ll want to prove that his victory wasn’t a fluke.
There are plenty of other fast finishers looking to upset the favorites. Max Kanter (XDS Astana Team), Orluis Aular (Movistar), Corbin Strong (Israel–Premier Tech), and Maikel Zijlaard (Tudor Pro Cycling) have each shown enough speed and tactical awareness to feature in the finale. Wildcards like Ben Turner (Ineos Grenadiers) could also surprise again. Turner’s aggressive racing earned him a podium on stage 12, and a similar late move on the technical Roman circuit isn’t out of the question.
With the general classification already settled, the 143 km stage through Rome – complete with iconic landmarks, cobbled streets, and sharp corners – promises a tactical and thrilling finale. The GC race may be wrapped up, but for the sprinters, there is one more battle.
Prediction
We think Olav Kooij will cap off Visma's triumphant Giro d'Italia with the team's third stage win.
