The Giro d'Italia is the first Grand Tour of the season and, therefore, expectations are placed on the organisers to open with a bang. And, it seems that they have produced a course for 2025 that will provide just that, with gravel surprises, menacing mountain passes, and a foreign start. The entire race will span 3,413 kilometres and climb a total of 52,500 metres of elevation over the three weeks with six sprint stages, eight medium-mountain stages, five mountain stages and two individual time trials totalling 42.3km.
The 2024 edition of the race was an all-Italian affair, with the Grande Partenza starting on home soil in Turin. However, for the first time in the race’s history, the Balkan country of Albania will host the Grande Partenza, opening the race with three testing stages which showcase the capital city of Tirana and the coastal cities of Durazzo and Valona. Not only will Albania provide a spectacular backdrop to the race with its impossibly blue waters and breathtaking mountain landscapes, but it will also provide fireworks in the racing, with two medium-mountain stages and one individual time trial. The sprinters will be out of luck if they are searching for early wins as, while flat finishes await, categorised climbs stand in their way, so we expect opportunistic attackers to take the spoils. But it will also be interesting to see how those with ambitions in the general classification play these opening stages in Albania before the race heads back to Italy for the second half of the opening week.
The first of three rest days will see the riders travel from Albania to Alberobello in southern Italy, where three stages labelled sprints will follow before the first mountain stage in Tagliacozzo. Closing the first week will be a stage not to be missed, with the Giro d’Italia traversing the white roads of Italy’s fabled Classic, Strade Bianche, with a nervy gravel test for the riders, in particular those with eyes on the maglia rosa. Week two opens with a lengthy individual time trial from Lucca to Pisa and then continues to head north through the Apennines, encountering the San Pellegrino in Alpe climb, a sprint finish in Viadana and a dip into Slovenia. The second week closes with a difficult mountain stage featuring nearly 4,000 metres of climbing, setting the tone for the final week.
Following the race’s previous format, week three is where the race will really be decided. It opens with a mountain test in the region of Trentino with five gruelling categorised climbs in a single stage before a hilly stage that concludes in Bormio and a sprint stage to Cesano Maderno. It’s then in stages 19 and 20 that the race will be decided with two back-to-back difficult days featuring double-digit gradients and even an 8km stretch of gravel to the summit of the Colle delle Finestre – the 2025 Cima Coppi. The three-week race will close with a ceremonial stage in Rome, crowning its 108th Maglia Rosa in front of a roaring crowd.
Stage one: Durazzo to Tirana - 164km
Friday, May 9, 2025
The organisers have dubbed the opening stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia “a mountain stage in the city”, as the riders leave the port city of Durazzo in Western Albania and head inland to the capital city, Tirana, via the category two Gracen pass – a 13.5km climb with an average gradient of 5.2%. In the lead-up to the first categorised climb of the entire race, the road is flat up until 70km, where the climb begins. However, following the descent is a 22.2km-long circuit, to be completed twice, featuring two ascents up the punchy, category three Surrel climb (4.9km at 5.4%). Once atop the Surrel climb for the second time, an 11km descent to the finish line awaits. This stage will certainly fire up the legs of those with attacking instincts, but with the 11km-long descent to the finish, a sprinter could also be in with a shot of wearing the prestigious pink jersey into the second stage.
Stage two: Tirana to Tirana - 13.7km (individual time trial)
Saturday, May 10, 2025
Remaining in the capital city of Tirana, stage two is the first race against the clock, and it is one designed with the time trial specialists in mind. Overall, there are only 150 metres of elevation, which comes from a 1.5km climb halfway through the course, and there are few U-turns or sharp corners for the riders to contend with. So, once they crest the top of the climb at 8km, the remainder of the 13.7km route is either downhill or flat, giving those who do not excel on uphill terrain the chance to catch up with those who do. This type of parcours will certainly allow us to see who has their eyes set on the general classification battle.
Stage three: Valona to Valona - 160km
Sunday, May 11, 2025
The final stage in Albania before the race heads back to its home country will be another medium-mountain stage, starting and finishing in Valona in southern Albania, totalling 2,800 metres of elevation. The first half of the 160km-long stage is littered with ups and downs, including a category four climb at 60km. The relentless undulations do continue into the second half of the stage, but it is mainly dominated by one category two climb, which is 10.7km in length and has an average gradient of 7.4%. A long descent leads to the flat finish in Valona, but the sprinters will likely be missing from those who contest the stage win.
Stage four: Alberobello to Lecce - 187km
Tuesday, May 13, 2025
The sprinters will be happy to arrive back in Italy as the first home stage of this year’s Giro looks likely to result in a sprint finish amongst those fastest in the peloton. Little stands in the sprinter teams’ way for the entire 187km-long route, only a small hill 16km in, but then it is a flat route all the way to Lecce.
Stage five: Ceglie Messapica to Matero - 144km
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
The opening two-thirds of this stage looks like it could be another opportunity for the pure sprinters. However, the final third of the race is where it might get a little more complicated for them with a category four climb – Montescaglioso – in the final 30km of the stage and a few uphill gradients to the finish line. It’ll most likely still come down to a sprint, but it’ll be contested between those who can also pack a punch on the climbs.
Stage six: Power to Naples - 210km
Thursday, May 15, 2025
Stage six looks to be the final chance for the sprinters in the opening week of the race, with a flat run into the finish in Naples after the peloton has crested the category three Monteforte Irpino climb at 144km. There is also a category two climb earlier on in the stage – Valico di Monte Carruozzo is a 19.9km climb with an average gradient of 3.8% – but with the climb featuring so early in the stage and a long run to the finish, it is most likely that those hunting sprint stages will be able to claw any breakaway artists back.
Stage seven: Castel di Sangro to Tagliacozzo - 168km
Friday, May 16, 2025
After three sprint opportunities, the Giro finally heads into the mountains with the arrival of the Apennine. This will be a chance for the climbers to demonstrate their form from the very start, quite literally, as soon as the flag goes, the peloton will face the category three Roccaraso. As the route heads towards its finish in Tagliacozzo, the riders will face two category two climbs. The first is small but punchy, standing at 4.5km with an average gradient of 9.4%, and the second is much longer in length at 21.6km but only has an average gradient of 3.6%. The race’s first mountain stage then finishes with a category one climb, which spans 12.6km with an average gradient of 5.4%. In the final 3km to the finish line, however, double-digit gradients are persistent, and the legs of those fighting for victory will be burning. This could be our first glance at a GC battle.
Stage eight: Giulianova to Castelraimondo - 197km
Saturday, May 17, 2025
Another tough stage follows with a total elevation gain of 3,700 metres. This is not classed as a mountain stage however, instead, it is a medium mountain stage with two category three climbs, one category four, and one category one. There’s little flat to this 197km stage, which features some of the roads from the week-long race, Tirreno-Adriactico, and looks like a prime opportunity for someone in the breakaway to take the stage.
Stage nine: Gubbio to Siena - 197km
Sunday, May 18, 2025
Closing the first week of the race is a stage which is a little different from what we’ve seen in the Giro previously – gravel. Starting in Gubbio, the riders will tackle a category three ascent before arriving in the Senese region of Italy where they’ll take on some of Strade Bianche’s famous white roads. In total, 29.5km of the stage will be on the white roads as the stage heads to Siena, including Pieve a Salti (8km), Serravalle (9.3km), San Martino in Grania (9.3km), Monteaperti (0.6km), and Colle Pinzuto (2.3km). The risk of mechanicals will make those on the GC nervous, and positioning will be vital as they enter each gravel sector.
Stage 10: Lucca to Pisa - 28.6km (individual time trial)
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
The race kicks off its second week with an individual time trial from Lucca to Pisa. The profile is similar to the one in Albania with a small bump in the middle of the stage, however, this climb is not categorised and the length of the ITT is over 10km longer at 28.6km. It’ll be another opportunity for those time trial specialists to showcase their abilities, but they’ll need a big engine to sustain the effort over this length time trial.
Stage 11: Viareggio to Castelnovo ne’ Monti - 185km
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Classified by the organisers as a medium-mountain stage, stage 11 still looks to be a very challenging day for the peloton, especially from the halfway mark. The biggest test of the day will be the San Pellegrino climb (last featured 25 years ago), as the 14.2km-long climb has an average gradient of 8.7%, which peaks at almost 20%. The long descent will be a welcome rest bite as they ride towards Cerredolo, but in the final 50km of the stage, they will encounter two category two climbs before the finish. It’s most likely that a breakaway will take the spoils.
Stage 12: Modena to Viadana - 172km
Thursday, May 22, 2025
After two difficult days, the sprinters will breathe out a sigh of relief when they see that stage 12 only consists of three category three ascents before a long, flat run into the finish in Viadana in Po Valley.
Stage 13: Rovigo to Vicenza - 180km
Friday, May 23, 2025
Stage 13 is an almost pan-flat day as the riders travel 180km from Rovigo to Vicenza. There’s only one bump (the category four Passo Roverello) in the road in the first two-thirds of the stage, then in the final third, four category four climbs come in quick succession as the riders complete two circuit laps, with the fourth and final ascent ramping up to the finish line. We expect to see a fast finisher who also excels on uphill terrain to take the stage.
Stage 14: Treviso to Nova Gorica/Gorizia - 186km
Saturday, May 24, 2025
Another easy day follows as the race heads through the Veneto plain and southern Friuli. However, what is unique about this stage is that the race dips in and out of its neighbouring country of Slovenia – home to the race’s previous two champions. The stage will finish with two circuit laps, which include two ascents up the category four Saver peak, but with little elevation, it seems a safe bet that this stage will result in a large sprint finish.
Stage 15: Fiume Veneto to Asiago - 214km
Sunday May 25, 2025
Closing the second week of the race is a tough day in the mountains as the riders encounter 214km of racing with the menacing Monte Grappa climb halfway through the stage. The ascent to Monte Grappa’s summit will be via the historic Strada Cadorna, which has only been tackled down hill in the last 15 years and spans 25km with an average gradient of 5.8%. A 16.3km category two climb follows before the finish in Asiago, rounding off the second week of the race.
Stage 16: Piazzola sul Brenta to San Valentino - 199km
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
The first of three decisive mountain stages opens the final week of the Giro, and with almost 5,000 metres of elevation, stage 16 has the most climbing of the entire race. Leaving Piazzola sul Brenta, the profile gradually heads upwards, but it is at the 63km marker that the stage profile heads upwards, stringing together five categorised climbs until the finale in San Valentino. The final 17.4km climb, marked category one, will take the riders to the finish line. With it being the final week and one of the race’s hardest stages, it’s certainly a day for the general classification riders to commence battle for the pink jersey.
Stage 17: San Michele all’Adige to Bormio - 154km
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
While the previous day was a relentless day of ups and downs, stage 17 is dominated by two mountain passes – the Passo del Tonale (15.2km with an average gradient of 6%) and the iconic Passo del Mortirolo (12.6km with an average gradient of 7.6%). The summit of Mortirolo is crested with 50km to go, and, therefore, we might not see the GC riders fighting for time. Instead, it is most likely those who excel in the mountains on a quest for a stage win that’ll take the win. The GC riders will need to be wary of the rising profile to the finish though, as a lapse in concentration could result in time lost.
Stage 18: Morbegno to Cesano Maderno - 144km
Thursday, May 29, 2025
As the end of the race looms into view, stage 18 will be a welcome break for the sprinters and GC riders who have had to fight over the past few stages in their own ways. The stage does include three categorised climbs but they are early into the stage and once over the final one, the remaining 60km of the stage is flat all the way to finish in Cesano Maderno, meaning any escapees will most likely be caught by a charging peloton.
Stage 19: Biella to Champoluc - 166km
Friday, May 30, 2025
The mountains return for stage 19, where it is expected that those with ambitions of winning the overall race will have to pull out the stops to ensure they gain time on their rivals. Five categorised climbs await the riders over the 166km-long stage, including Croce Serra, Col Tzecore, Col Saint-Pantaléon, Col de Joux, and Antagnod. All are notably difficult climbs and are back-to-back, making this stage another 5,000m day of climbing. The final climb is crested with 5km to go to the finish in Champoluc.
Stage 20: Verrès to Sestrière - 203km
Saturday, May 31, 2025
The penultimate stage of the Giro will decide its winner as the riders face their final stage in the mountains. Starting in Verrès, the first half of the stage is relatively easy in comparison to previous days, but it is in the final 100km of the stage, as the route heads from Valle d’Aosta to the Lanzo valleys that the race heats up. Colle del Lys, at 13.7km, will ignite the action, but it is on the race’s Cima Coppi, the Colle delle Finestre, that the race will be on. And it will not just be the climb’s fearsome average gradient of 9.2% that will make this a spectacle to watch, but also the fact that near the top of the climb awaits an 8km stretch of gravel to the summit. From the mountain’s summit to the finish is the category three Sestriere, where a decisive day will come to a close.
Stage 21: Roma to Roma - 141km
Sunday, June 1, 2025
Rome will host the final stage of the Giro d’Italia with out-and-back to the coastline before several laps of a city-centre circuit, where a sprinter will likely take the stage win.
Map and stage profiles courtesy of RCS Sport
Cover image: Zac Williams/SWpix
