The China Mail - Punishing 2025 Giro to complete hat-trick of Roma climaxes

Rome will host the closing stage of the Giro for the third year in a row, with the riders taking part in a flat procession stage on June 1 which will finish with eight laps around the Eternal City's ancient Roman ruins.

By that point the hard work will have already been done for those contesting the pink jersey for the overall winner, claimed last year in emphatic fashion by cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar, with a gruelling final week across Italy's northern mountain ranges awaiting the peloton.

In total the 2025 Giro will feature 52,200 metres of climbing, over 10,000m more than last year's edition, over the 3,413 kilometres of riding.

The Giro will begin on May 9 in Albanian coastal city Durres, from where riders will race 164km over three climbs on their way to capital Tirana, which will host a 13.7km individual time trial for the second stage.

Riders will depart Albania, where controversial Italian-run migrant processing centres became operational in October, following the difficult third stage which starts and finishes in Vlore, before riders snake their way up mainland Italy from Lecce in the deep south.

The Giro will exit Italy's borders again at the end of Stage 14, with riders travelling from Treviso to Nova Gorica in Pogacar's native Slovenia.

Almost all of this year's extra 10km of climbing come in the two stages before the climax in Rome, with a punchy stage 19 testing riders with three category one climbs in the 166km between Biella and Champoluc.

The penultimate stage 20 is the scene of the highest Colle delle Finistre climb which features 8km of gravel roads, before the peloton reaches Sestiere near Italy's alpine border with France.

Elisa Longo Borghini's Giro d'Italia Women title will be up for grabs over eight stages between July 6-13, with the race finishing at the world-famous Formula One race track in Imola.

2025 men's Giro d'Italia route (May 9-June 1):

Stage 1- May 9

Durres - Tirana (164km)

Stage 2 - May 10

Tirana - Tirana (13,7km ITT)

Stage 3 - May 11

Vlore - Vlore (160km)

Rest day - May 12

Stage 4 - May 13

Alberobello - Lecce (180km)

Stage 5, May 14

Ceglie Messapica - Matera (145 km)

Stage 6 -May 15

Potenza - Naples (226 km)

Stage 7 - May 16

Castel di Sangro - Tagliacozzo (168 km)

Stage 8 - May 17

Giulianova - Castelraimondo (197 km)

Stage 9 - May 18

Gubbio - Sienne (181 km)

Rest day - May 19

Stage 10 - May 20

Lucca - Pisa (28,6 km ITT)

Stage 11 - May 21

Viareggio - Castelnove Ne' Monti (185 km)

Stage 12 - May 22

Modena - Viadana (172 km)

Stafe 13 - May 23

Rovigo - Vicenza (180 km)

Stage 14 - May 24

Treviso - Nova Gorica/Gorizia (186 km)

Stage 15 - May 25

Fiume Veneto - Asiago (214 km)

Rest day - May 26

Stage 16 - May 27

Piazzola sul Brenta - San Valentino (199 km)

Stage 17 - May 28

San Michelle all'Adige - Bormio (154 km)

Stage 18 - May 29

Morbegno - Cesano Maderno (144 km)

Stage 19 - May 30

Bielle - Champoluc (166 km)

Stage 20 - May 31

Verres - Sestrieres (203 km)

Stage 21 - June 1

Rome - Rome (141 km)

2025 Giro d'Italia Women route (July 6-13)

Stage 1 - July 6

Bergamo - Bergamo (13.6km ITT)

Stage 2 - July 7

Clusone - Aprica (99km)

Stage 3 - July 8

Vezza d'Oglio - Trento (124km)

Stage 4 - July 9

Castello Tisino - Pianezze (156km)

Stage 5 - July 10

Mirano - Monselice (108km)

Stage 6 - July 11

Bellaria-Igea Marina - Terre Roveresche (144km)

Stage 7 - July 12

Fermignano - Monte Nerone (157km)

Stage 8 - July 13

Forli-Imola (138km)

C.Fong--ThChM