The very first Giro d’Italia Women under RCS Sport management turned out to be a resounding success: eight thrilling days culminating in a breath-taking duel between Elisa Longo Borghini and Lotte Kopecky, decided in favor of the Italian only in the final meters of the last stage. Thanks to a well-designed and dynamic route, the race captivated fans and riders alike. This year, from 6 to 13 July 2025, the world’s best riders will return to the Bel Paese for an even tougher edition of the Giro d’Italia Women.
The race kicks off on Sunday, July 6, in Bergamo’s brand new “smart district”, ChorusLife, with a 12.2 km, largely flat individual time trial. Riders will skirt the always gorgeous Città Alta – Bergamo’s iconic upper town – before finishing on the Sentierone – in the very heart of modern Bergamo – where the first Maglia Rosa will be awarded. Day 2 ramps up the difficulty: starting in Clusone, the stage finishes in Aprica via Edolo after 99 km, with a steady but challenging 15-kilometer climb at 4%. A perfect fraction for early skirmishes and a chance to assess the competition’s form.
Stage 3, from Vezza d’Oglio to Trento for a total of 124 km, should eventually favor sprinters, but still features some interesting tests, such as this year’s Cima Alfonsina Strada, the Tonale Pass (11 km at 6%), which could shake up the peloton. The following descents through Val di Sole and Val di Non provide opportunities for regrouping ahead of a likely bunch sprint in Trento. The first true mountain test comes on Stage 4, starting in Castello Tesino and closing with a summit finish in Pianezze (Valdobbiadene). The final climb spans 11.3 km with gradients between 6% and 8%, ensuring a significant shakeout in the GC standings.
Pancake flat and likely to end in a bunch sprint, Stage 5, 108 km from Mirano to Monselice, runs through the Po Valley and will demand perfect team coordination to avoid surprises. Stage 6, the 144-km-long Bellaria/Igea Marina – Terre Roveresche (Orciano di Pesaro), is a day of rolling terrain and possible ambushes. Early on, the riders tackle the climb into San Marino, followed by punchy ascents in Mondaino, Montericcardo, Beato Sante, and Villa del Monte, with a final uphill kick to Mondavio. An ideal day for opportunists to spring a surprise.
Stage 7, Fermignano – Monte Nerone of 157 km, will more than likely prove decisive for the Maglia Rosa. The final climb up Monte Nerone is nothing short of brutal: 15.2 kilometers of sustained gradients between 7% and 10%. Expect fireworks as the strongest climbers assert their dominance. The grand finale on Stage 8 mirrors the 2020 Imola World Championships: starting in Forlì, the fraction includes early climbs at Monte di Rontana and Cima Gallisterna before reaching the iconic Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit in Imola after 138 km. The athletes will complete three laps of the 28.4-kilometer loop, featuring the Mazzolano climb (2.2 km at 6.7%) and Gallisterna (2.3 km at 7%). A thrilling finale where the Maglia Rosa’s fate hangs in the balance until the very last metre.