2025 Giro d'Italia Race Preview
The details of this year's 2025 Giro d'Italia are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
Who are the top contenders to win the Giro d'Italia? Primož Roglič and Juan Ayuso stand out as the pre-race favorites, but with a field that also includes Richard Carapaz, the Yates brothers, Jai Hindley, Antonio Tiberi, Thymen Arensman, Derek Gee, and Egan Bernal, nothing is set in stone. It wouldn’t be the first time the Giro delivers a surprise winner.
Yet, a fierce battle between Primož Roglič and Juan Ayuso seems the most likely scenario. We had a first taste of it at the Volta a Catalunya – and what an appetizer it was! Neither rider gave an inch in a duel that began on day one and culminated on the final stage, when the Slovenian turned the race in his favor with a 20-kilometer solo attack.
The Volta a Catalunya was one of the most compelling stage races of the season – let’s hope for more of the same in Italy!
Roglič versus Ayuso – a clash between riders of a similar mold. Both are strong all-rounders – excellent time trialists, outstanding climbers, and each has a solid sprint to boot. In fact, they faced off in two mano-a-mano sprints in Catalonia, with one win apiece. What makes it even more intriguing is that they’re also leading the strongest teams on paper. Roglič will be backed by Jai Hindley and Daniel Felipe Martínez – the Colombian who helped Bernal to Giro victory in 2021 – while Ayuso can count on the support of Adam Yates, Jay Vine, and Isaac del Toro. Yates, in particular, has the pedigree to fight for overall victory himself, and the same goes for Hindley, who, after all, won the Giro in 2022.
A stacked field If we’re honest, last year’s Giro was something of a damp squib. With Tadej Pogačar delivering a three-week one-man show – topping it off with six stage wins, the overall title, and the KOM jersey – there was next to no suspense. His main rivals – Thymen Arensman, Antonio Tiberi, Romain Bardet, Ben O’Connor, Daniel Felipe Martínez, and Geraint Thomas – were never in contention. Yates, Thomas, and Martínez did make the podium, but both finished 10 minutes behind the pink emperor.
Aside from O’Connor and Thomas, all of those riders are back this year. And the field is further bolstered by the likes of Derek Gee, Richard Carapaz, Simon Yates, Mikel Landa, Giulio Ciccone, Egan Bernal, David Gaudu, and Wilco Kelderman. Then, of course, there’s Hindley, Adam Yates, Vine, and Del Toro – although they’ll mostly be riding in support of their team leaders.
All in all, the field is far deeper than it was last year. And since the two pre-race standouts are certainly not on Pogačar’s level, there’s every reason to believe this edition will deliver a far more compelling battle.
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