2025 Giro d’Italia Route: The 108th edition of the Giro d’Italia will start in Albania on Friday 9th of May. This year’s Italian Grand Tour starts relatively easily, with a very tough final week. That said, the first few days are going to show us who will be the possible winner. We take a look at the Giro’25 route.
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Giro d’Italia 2025 | The Route
The 2025 Giro d’Italia has La Grande Partenza in Albania on Friday (don’t forget). The Balkan country is becoming a tourist hot spot for Western Europeans, but these first stages will be no holiday for the sprinters. The first stages in Albania are not super difficult, but there is quite a bit of climbing. The Giro boss said at the Giro presentation: “We have broken the cliché of the opening stage for sprinters. The first stage has a challenging final lap. The time trial has a tough section halfway through and several technical bends, and the third stage already has an important climb with the Qafa E Llogarasë.”
Giro’25 route map
After the opening days in Albania, the peloton moves to the heel of Italy, where there are a few transition stages and the first mountain finish. In the second weekend, on Sunday there is a spectacular gravel stage in Tuscany, and this is when the 2025 Giro d’Italia really gets going. In the second week, there are transition stages in Tuscany as the race heads to the Veneto region. The time trial on Tuesday and the mountain finish on Sunday in San Valentino, will be very important for the GC, but the second week is not too difficult and the puncheurs will have their opportunities. As is quite typical of the Giro, the final week is all important for the GC riders. This where the race hits the Dolomites, including the Passo del Mortirolo, Colle delle Finestre, Sestriere and the Col de Joux, but there is only one summit finish. In whole Grand Tour there is only three stages that end on a mountain top. That is three less than in 2024, but that doesn’t mean that this year’s Giro is easy. Looking at the profiles, you see plenty of climbs where the race can be won or lost. The final stage 21 is in the capital city of Italy, Rome and starts from the Vatican.
5 Things To Know Before The Giro d’Italia 2025 Starts by FloBikes
Stage 1 – Friday 9 May
Stage 1 profile
The 2025 Giro d’Italia starts on May the 9th in Albania with a tough stage from Durrës to Tirana. The 164 kilometre stage starts in the historic port city of Durrës, founded in the 7th century BC by the ancient Greeks, and features three categorised climbs in the final 80 kilometres, including the Gracen (13.5km at 5.2%) and two of the Surrel (4.1km at 5.4%), which has a very hard first kilometre of 8.1%.
Giro d’Italia 2025 | Grande Partenza Albania | Il Percorso
After an easy approach and a circuit of 22.2km around Tirana, a 11.3km finale comes after the last passage of Surrel. Attackers like Wout van Aert is one of the favourites for the stage, it should be a non-pure sprinter who will claim the first pink jersey.
Stage 2 – Saturday 10 May
Stage 2 TT Profile
The second stage is a 13.7 km individual time trial through Tirana, mostly flat but technical due to many bends and corners. Midway through the stage there is a climb of 1.2km at 5.7%, starting after 6.2km at the city park of Tirana. The first 900 meters climb at 6.4%, followed by a false flat to the top, where the intermediate timing point will be taken. After a U-turn follows a descent along the other side of the road.
Stage 2 TT map
The time trial remains technical with a straight section after the descent, but ends with a difficult U-turn 2 km from the finish in the centre of Tirana. This time will cause time differences. Wout van Aert seems to be a contender, but Joshua Tarling is a formidable competitor as a time trial specialist. Later in the Giro there will be a longer time trial of 28.6 km from Lucca to Pisa in Tuscany, which will have an even greater impact.
Stage 3 – Sunday 11 May
The last stage in Albanian is a 160 kilometres around Vlorë, with 2800 metres of climbing. Vlorë, called Valona by Italians, was once the first capital of Albania and has a rich history with Ottoman and Venetian influences, as well as beautiful beaches. The stage starts relatively easily, but after 60 kilometres there is the Shakkeliës Pass (5.5km at 4%), which has a flat section halfway up, the first 2.4 kilometres climb at 8.9%.
Stage 3 map and profile
After a descent to the Mediterranean Sea, the stage follows the coast to the uncategorised Vishës Pass, followed by the Llogara Pass (10.7km at 7.4%), the toughest climb is sure to thin out the peloton and the sprinters will lose contact. An early break seems likely today, depending on which team hold the lead. The stage should shake up the GC before the first rest day.
Rest day 1 – Monday 12 May
On the first rest day the Giro will travel from Albania and start stage 4 in Alberobello
Stage 4 – Tuesday 13 May
After a rest day, the Giro crosses the Adriatic Sea to Puglia for a 187km stage from Alberobello to Lecce, and probably the first bunch sprint. Alberobello, famous for its UNESCO trulli, offers a picturesque start. The route is mostly flat, with only one Cat 4 climb, so the sprint teams can control the race.
Stage 4 finale and profile
The riders head east to the coast and then south to Lecce, where there is a local circuit. Lecce has been a sprinters playground in the past, Alessandro Petacchi beat Mario Cipollini here in 2003.
Stage 5 – Wednesday 14 May
Stage 5 profile
The fifth stage from Ceglie Messapica to Matera is short at 145km, flat to start with and a hilly finale. The climb to Montescaglioso (2.8km at 8.6%) comes 30 kilometres from the finish and a 7.1km climb at 3.5% to Tramontano will be important.
A trick finale
Then there is a steep climb of 700m at 7.9%, with the summit 1.7km from the finish, makes the finale in Matera suitable for attackers like Van Aert or Pedersen. Although it was Arnaud Démare who won here in 2020.
Stage 6 – Thursday 15 May
The sixth stage from Potenza to Naples is a long day in the saddle at 206 kilometres, it has a tough first 145km with the Valico di Monte Caruozzo (19.9km at 3.8%) and Monteforte Irpino (11km at 3.4%). These climbs should inspire attackers who want to get in the ‘break of the day’, which could go all the way to the finish.
Hard start to stage 6, but maybe a bunch sprint finish
The last 82 kilometres of the stage are almost flat and the sprinter’s team should pull things back together before Napoli. Olav Kooij and Mads Pedersen won in Naples in 2024 and 2023.
Stage 7 – Friday 16 May
Stage 7 profile
Stage seven has the first summit finish of the 2025 Giro d’Italia. The 168 kilometre stage starts in Castel di Sangro, the first climb is Roccaraso (6.6km at 6.4%), followed by the steep Monte Urano (4.5km at 9.4%) and the long Vado della Forcella (21.6km at 3.6%).
The tough finale
The final climb begins after 155 kilometres, strangely the Red Bull kilometre is at the base of the Tagliacozzo (12.6km at 5.4%). The climb is not too difficult, but comes in two stages. In the last three kilometres, the road ramps up to 14% in places. The race will blow to pieces, maybe this won’t be the winning move, but the Giro could be lost on the steep finale.
Stage 8 – Saturday 17 May
The eighth stage in the Giro is made for the ‘break of the day’. The stage through the Apennines has two Cat 3 and one Cat 4 climbs, but at the halfway point of the 197 kilometre stage, there is a Cat 1 climb.
Stage 8 profile
The top of the first climb comes after 60 kilometres into the stage, the Croce di Casale (8.6km at 4.6%). Next is the Valico di Santa Maria Madalena (13.2km at 7.2%) and the Montelago (5.5km at 7%). There are no more categorised climbs before the finish in Castelraimondo, but there are two uncategorised climbs that could be used as a spring-board for victory. The last climb it is only 6 kilometres to the finish.
Stage 9 – Sunday 18 May
Stage 9 profile
The 2025 Giro d’Italia has a Strade Bianche stage. The finish, just like the one-day race, is in Siena. The finale is also the same, with the Colle Pinzuto and the finish line in the Piazza del Campo.
Gravel on stage 9
There is only five sections sterrati in the stage. With 70 kilometres to go, the riders hit the first sterrato, the Pieve a Salto, a stretch of 8 kilometres with some climbing. The second section is over 9 kilometres long and comes very soon after the first. There is another stretch of 9 kilometres, before the Strade Bianche finale. It could be a dangerous stage for the GC men.
Rest day 2 – Monday 19 May
The Giro has a day off in Lucca
Stage 10 – Tuesday 20 May
A fast TT on stage 10
A time trial awaits the Giro peloton after the second rest day. The race against the clock is between Lucca and Pisa and described as ‘very fast and ridden in a south-westerly direction’. The route is much the same as the time trial that was won by the Norwegian Knut Knudsen in the 1977 Giro. There isn’t much uphill, but towards the Foto di San Guilano tunnel the road does climb, before levelling off towards the San Guilano Terme. The riders enter the city of the leaning tower via the Pisa Aqueduct.
Stage 11 – Wednesday 21 May
Stage 11 profile
The stage starts relatively easily, but after 80 of the 185 kilometres the route gets much harder. After about two hours of racing, the Giro starts the Alpe San Pellegrino (14.2km at 8.7%). It is a difficult Cat 1 climb with ramps of up to 20%.
Stage 11 map
After a long, twisty descent, there are the climbs to Toano (11.2km at 4.9%) and the Pietra di Bismantova (6.5km at 5.2%). After the summit, there are 5 kilometres of undulating roads before the finish in Castelnovo ne’ Monti. A stage for a break? The GC men might have tired legs after the time trial.
Stage 12 – Thursday 22 May
The sprinters also get their chance in the second week. The first half of the 172 kilometre stage 12 has a few short climbs where an early break can probably make its move, but the finale is flat.
Stage 12 profile
From Modena, there are Cat 3 climbs await to Baiso, Trinita and Rossena, but from 95 kilometres the route has no up or down. At 28 kilometres from the finish, the riders will also pass through the finish in Viadana. Via a local circuit, the peloton comes back to finish in Viadana for the first time in Giro history. A bunch sprint is expected in the Lombardy town next to the Po River
Stage 13 – Friday 23 May
Stage 13 profile
This is a stage for the real puncheurs. From the Veneto region, the route is flat again and the sprinters get another opportunity, two days in a row. Only after the first passage of the finish, the terrain becomes a bit more harder. The climb of Monte Berico comes first and then on the local circuit, the Arcugnano climb is also difficult. A very Liège-Bastogne-Liège style.
Philippe Gilbert took the win in Vicenza in 2015
The Monte Berico (1.1km at 7.5%) has an average gradient of 7.5% over a kilometre, ideal for a real puncheur in Vicenza. Philippe Gilbert caught the escapees at the finish of stage 12 for the win in 2015.
Stage 14 – Saturday 24 May
From Treviso, the fourteenth stage is on flat roads to Nova Goriza/Gorica, an Italian/Slovenian city. The final has a few short climbs, but another bunch sprint is expected.
Stage 14 map and profile
In the final there is the San Martino and Saver climbs in the finale. Although the last climb is of less than 800 metres at 6.4% will not be a problem for the fast-finishers. The sprint is slightly downhill.
Stage 15 – Sunday 25 May
After the easier stages, stage 15 brings down the curtain on the second week. The stage isn’t too hard, but there is the difficult Monte Grappa (25km at 5.8%), the Giro describes it as a ‘pre-Alpine stage’ – a precursor to the real thing in the final week.
Stage 15 map and profile
There is a Cat 2 climb to Dori (16.3km at 5.5%), but there are 30 kilometres to go to the finish in Asiago.
Rest day 3 – Monday 26 May
Rest day No.3 with the mountains on the horizon
Stage 16 – Tuesday 27 May
The rider’s will be glad of the rest day, as stage 16 has the most amount of climbing of this year’s Giro d’Italia. With five Alpine mammoth climbs, the GC should get a good shake up over the 5,000 metres of climbing.
After 67 kilometres and the La Fricca climb, there are no flat roads. Next comes the steeper Candrai climb (10km at 7%), followed by the much easier Cat 3 Vigo Cavedine.
The summit finish of San Valentino
After 150 kilometres and 50 kilometres to go, there is the Santa Barbara (12.7 kilometres at 8.3%), with its steepest sections at 14%. The San Valentino climb from Brentonico it 18.2 kilometres long at an average of 6.2%. It is much harder than it sounds, it is a pass in three sections with steep ramps of up to 14%. The GC contenders will have to bring the top form.
Stage 17 – Wednesday 28 May
Stage 17 profile
The seventeenth stage has the extremely tough Passo del Mortirolo (12.6km at 7.6%) on its route. From the start in San Michele all’Adige, the stage starts to climb almost immediately. Never really steep, but enough to cause some problems. After 54 kilometres is the start proper of climb of the Passo del Tonale (15.2km at 6%), this is the twelfth time it has been used in the Giro d’Italia.
Map and Mortirolo
After a long descent, the riders hit the Passo del Mortirolo, the only Cat 1 climb of the day, but a very popular one over the years. The Mortirolo is 12.6 kilometres at 7.6%, but the steep finish has sections of up to 16%. After the descent, it is a hard road via Le Motte to Bormio.
Stage 18 – Thursday 29 May
If there are any sprinters left in the 2025 Giro d’Italia, they have the chance of a win today. The middle of the stage is difficult with the last climbs of the Alps, but the finale is made for the fast-men. It’s also a short stage of only 144 kilometres.
Stage 18 – Not that easy
The start is in Morbegno, in the Lombardy Bitto Valley and is famous for its cheese. The peloton follows the shores of Lake Como, before three climbs of the Parlasco (Cat 2), Colle Balisio (Cat 3) and Ravellino (Cat 3). These climbs shouldn’t be a problem for the fast-men on the road to Cesano Maderno, where the Giro has held the final time trial in 1979 and 2008.
Stage 19 – Friday 30 May
Stage 19 profile
This is perhaps the toughest stage of the 2025 Giro. Just 166 kilometres long, but with 4,950 metres of climbing. Along with stages 16 and 20, stage 19 is a five star stage. There are five climbs and the first one comes almost immediately from the start, the Croce Serra (11.3km at 4.6%)
Stage 19 map
After 50 kilometres there is the Col Tzecore (16km at 7.7%), a Cat 1 climb. It is the first of three mountains of more than 15 kilometres. The Col de Saint-Pantaléon (16.5 kilometres at 7.2% with ramps of up to 12%). There is a descent of about 20 kilometres to the foot of the Col de Joux (15.1km at 6.9%), French name, but still in Italy. There are six kilometres to the Antagnod (9.4km at 4.6%), which summits 4.5 kilometres from the finish in Champoluc.
Stage 20 – Saturday 31 May
Stage 20 profile
The penultimate stage of the Giro d’Italia crosses a number of mythical climbs and finishes uphill. The stage has four climbs, the last three of which are in the second half of the stage. The Corio (6.5km at 3.7%) and Colle del Lys (13.7km at 4.2%) are ‘easy’ compared to the final two mountains on the stage.
Stage 20 map
That penultimate climb is a killer. The last 8 kilometres of the Colle delle Finestre (18.4km at 9.2%!) are on a rough surface and extremely steep. It is the Cima Coppi, the highest mountain climb of 2025. This is followed by a descent of 12 kilometres and the final climb of 16 kilometres at an average of 3.8% to Sestriere. At that point we should know the winner of this year’s Giro d’Italia.
Stage 21 – Sunday 1 June
The final stage of the Giro d’Italia goes through the capital City of Rome. In the last 75 kilometres, the riders will cover a 9.5 kilometre circuit through the city centre, past the Fori Imperiali and the Colosseum.
Stage 21
The start on Sunday the 1st of June is from the Vatican City to honour the late Pope Francis, who died at the end of April at the age of 88 and was a big fan of all sports. From the Vatican, the race heads to the Tyrrhenian coast, to then come back to Rome again after 40 kilometres. The race then concludes on the circuit. Again there will be a bunch sprint before the final podium celebrations.
Giro’25 route
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