CYCLING: Giro d’Italia 2.UWT Stage 15 2025 (ITA)

Stage Preview

The 2025 Giro d’Italia Stage 15, held on Sunday, May 25th, is a challenging mountain stage covering 219 kilometers from Fiume Veneto to Asiago. This stage is the second-longest of the Giro and features 3900 meters of elevation gain, with most of the climbing concentrated in the second half.

Route and Profile

The stage begins with a relatively flat section that leads the riders towards Bassano del Grappa. The first categorized climb is the Muro di Ca’ del Poggio (Category 4) early in the stage.

The true test of the day comes with the ascent of Monte Grappa (Category 1). This iconic climb is approximately 25 kilometers long with an average gradient of around 5.7% and sections reaching up to 11%. This climb is tackled via the historic Strada Cadorna from Romano d’Ezzelino.

After a long and technical descent, the riders face another significant climb to Dori (Category 2). This ascent is about 16.3 kilometers long with an average gradient of 5.5% and pitches up to 9%. The summit of Dori is approximately 28-30 kilometers from the finish.

The final section of the stage, from the Dori KOM to the finish in Asiago, is a rolling plateau at around 1000 meters altitude. While not overtly steep, this section is undulating and can be tactically demanding, especially in the final kilometers, which include a short descent and a punchy 1.5 km climb at 8.3% averaging, followed by a slightly uphill finish in Asiago.

Key Features and Strategic Implications

• Long and demanding: At 219km, it’s one of the longest stages, combined with significant climbing, making it a true test of endurance.
• Monte Grappa: This will be a major sorting point for the peloton. Its length and gradient will likely thin out the GC group.
• Technical descent: The descent off Monte Grappa is long and technical, demanding skill and courage, and could open up gaps.
• Rolling finale: The 28-30km plateau after Dori, though not a steep climb, offers opportunities for attacks and tactical maneuvers, especially for strong climbers with a good kick or those who can benefit from a group sprint from a reduced peloton.
• Breakaway potential: Given the significant climbs and the relatively flat finish after the last categorized ascent, this stage is often touted as an ideal day for a strong breakaway to succeed, especially if GC teams are content to save energy for the decisive final week in the Alps.
• GC implications: While not a summit finish, the Monte Grappa and the final rolling section could still see time gaps among the GC contenders. Teams might try to isolate rivals or launch attacks, particularly if they believe they can gain an advantage before the final rest day.

Favorites

Given the profile, strong climbers who can also handle technical descents and potentially sprint from a small group are favored. Breakaway specialists with good climbing legs will also be eyeing this stage.

Potential contenders include:

• Attackers/Breakaway specialists: Pello Bilbao, Luke Plapp, Wout Poels, Romain Bardet, Filippo Zana, Wilco Kelderman, Marco Frigo, Georg Steinhauser, Lorenzo Fortunato, Davide Piganzoli, Nairo Quintana, Richard Carapaz (if given freedom).
• GC riders with a strong finish: While a breakaway is often predicted, if the GC battle ignites early, riders like Isaac Del Toro, Juan Ayuso, Primož Roglič, and Richard Carapaz, who have shown a good kick after tough mountain stages, could also be in contention if the race comes down to a reduced GC group.

This stage sets the scene for the crucial final week of the Giro d’Italia, providing a formidable challenge and likely shaping the overall standings further.

Stage 15 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia is scheduled for Sunday, May 25, 2025.

Here’s an overview of the categorized climbs and intermediate sprints for Stage 15 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia:

Mountains (Categorized Climbs)

Stage 15 features three categorized climbs, with the iconic Monte Grappa being the most significant:

1. Muro di Ca’ del Poggio (Category 4)
   • Location: Km 44.7
   • Length: 1.0 – 1.1 km
   • Average Gradient: 11.9% – 12.2%
   • Max Gradient: 15-16%
   • Profile: This is a very short but incredibly steep ramp, known for its challenging gradients. It comes relatively early in the stage, so it’s unlikely to cause major GC splits but could be a launchpad for an early breakaway or simply serve as a leg-breaker.
2. Monte Grappa (Category 1)
   • Location: Km 128.6
   • Length: 25.1 km
   • Average Gradient: 5.7%
   • Max Gradient: 11%
   • Profile: This is the “monster” climb of the day. While long, the average gradient of 5.7% is slightly misleading as it includes a flatter middle section. The climbing sections typically sit between 6-8%, with pitches up to 11%. The ascent is tackled from the Romano d’Ezzelino side, which is considered the “easier” side compared to the Semonzo route used in recent Giri. The summit is located around 90 km from the finish.
3. Dori (Category 2)
   • Location: Km 191.5
   • Length: 16.4 km – 16.6 km
   • Average Gradient: 5.3% – 5.4%
   • Max Gradient: 9-10%
   • Profile: This is the final categorized climb, featuring consistent but not extreme gradients. It’s often described as a “roller” and comes with its summit about 27.5-28.5 km from the finish line. This climb, and the rolling terrain immediately after, could be crucial for attacks from a reduced GC group or for breakaway riders attempting to hold on.

Sprints (Intermediate Sprints)

There are three intermediate sprints on Stage 15:

1. S. Martino Colle Umberto
   • Location: Km 29.6
   • Significance: This sprint comes relatively early in the stage, before the major climbing begins. It will primarily be contested by sprinters looking for points, or by breakaway riders if a group has already formed.
2. Possagno
   • Location: Km 89.8
   • Significance: This sprint falls just before the base of the Monte Grappa climb. It’s an opportunity for points before the serious climbing tests the legs of the faster riders.
3. Enego (Red Bull KM)
   • Location: Km 185.8
   • Significance: This sprint is located halfway up the Dori climb. It offers bonus seconds (6-4-2 seconds) for the first three riders across the line, which can be valuable for GC contenders or strong breakaway riders. This is strategically placed to encourage attacks on the final climb.

Overall Strategic Context

The placement of Monte Grappa early in the second half of the stage, followed by a long descent and a rolling plateau after Dori, suggests that this stage is highly likely to be a day for a strong breakaway. While the climbs are significant, the distance from their summits to the finish line might deter an all-out GC battle on the climbs themselves. However, the Red Bull KM on Dori and the undulating terrain into Asiago could still spark tactical moves and time gaps, especially among those looking to gain precious seconds before the final rest day and the even more demanding mountain stages of the third week.

Summary of the 15th stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia

more to come…

Distinctive jerseys after 14th stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia

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