CYCLING: Giro d’Italia 2.UWT Stage 16 2025 (ITA)

Giro d’Italia 2025: Stage 16 Preview – A Mountain Monster to San Valentino

Stage 16 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia, held on Tuesday, May 27th, promises to be one of the most decisive and brutal days of the race. Following the final rest day, the peloton faces a 203km journey from Piazzola sul Brenta to a summit finish at San Valentino (Brentonico), packing in a staggering 4,900 meters of climbing across four categorized climbs, three of which are Category 1. Race organizers have given this stage a full 5/5 stars for difficulty.

The Route: Relentless Up and Down

The stage begins with a relatively flat first 65km from Piazzola sul Brenta, but once the riders hit the Val d’Astico, the route becomes a relentless sequence of ascents and descents with little respite.

Key Climbs:

• Valico della Fricca (Cat. 2): 12.9 km at 4.6%. This serves as a warm-up, but after the flat start, it will already begin to test the legs.
• Candriai (Cat. 1): 10.1 km at 7.6%. Effectively the tougher lower slopes of Monte Bondone, this climb is sure to significantly thin out the peloton.
• Passo di Santa Barbara (Cat. 1): 12.7 km at 8.3%, with gradients reaching 14%. Arguably the most fearsome challenge of the day before the final climb, this ascent could see major moves from GC contenders.
• San Valentino (Brentonico) (Cat. 1 Summit Finish): 18.2 km at 6.1% average, but this hides much steeper sections. The climb is segmented, with a few false-flat or even short downhill sections, but the real difficulty lies between kilometers 9 and 13.5, where the gradient averages a punishing 9.2%. The final 3km also kick up significantly at over 9%. This is where serious time gaps are expected to open up.

The stage profile is a true “queen stage” with no hiding places for the general classification contenders. The wet weather forecast could add another layer of challenge and risk to the already demanding descents.

GC Battle and Contenders:

All eyes will be on Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates), who currently holds the pink jersey. This stage will be his biggest test yet in the high mountains, and it will determine if he’s a true Grand Tour GC leader. His teammate, Juan Ayuso, who has been riding a more conservative race, is another strong contender who might seize this opportunity.

Other key GC riders to watch include:

• Simon Yates (Jayco-AlUla): Second in GC, he’s known for his prowess on summit finishes and seems to be finding form.
• Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers): The Colombian has been aggressive throughout the race and thrives in the mountains. Along with teammate Thymen Arensman, Ineos could look to exploit any weakness.
• Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost): Another strong climber with attacking intent, he has already shown good form.
• Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious): Impressing in his breakout Giro, this will be a crucial test for him against the established GC riders.
• Primož Roglič (Red Bull–Bora–hansgrohe): After losing time on a previous stage, this mountain monster will be a major test for him to salvage his Giro or if his earlier crash has truly taken its toll.
• Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech): Has been consistently strong and is improving.
• Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling): A dark horse who has shown exceptional climbing on summit finishes.

Breakaway Opportunities:

While the GC battle is expected to ignite, a strong breakaway could also succeed if the peloton is content to let it go. Climbers who are out of GC contention but have strong legs will be looking for this opportunity. Potential breakaway candidates include:

• Nairo Quintana (Movistar)
• Romain Bardet (Groupama-FDJ) (in his final Grand Tour)
• Wout Poels (XDS-Astana)
• Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe)
• Carlos Verona (Lidl-Trek) (Stage 15 winner)
• Nicolas Prodhomme (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team)
• Georg Steinhauser (EF Education-EasyPost)
• Luke Plapp & Filippo Zana (Jayco-AlUla)
• Louis Meintjes (Intermarché-Wanty)

Stage 16 is set to be a true spectacle and could reshape the general classification dramatically as the Giro enters its decisive final week.

Giro d’Italia 2025: Stage 16 Overview – A Mountain Monster to San Valentino (Brentonico)

Stage 16 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia, taking place on Tuesday, May 27th, 2025, is a true queen stage designed to ignite the general classification battle. Covering 203 kilometers from Piazzola sul Brenta to a demanding summit finish at San Valentino (Brentonico), this stage features a staggering 4,900 meters of climbing across four categorized ascents, three of which are formidable Category 1 climbs. Race organizers have rated this stage a full 5/5 stars for difficulty.

Route Overview:

The stage begins with a relatively flat opening 65 kilometers, allowing the peloton to warm up. However, once the riders enter the Val d’Astico, the terrain transforms into a relentless series of climbs and descents, offering little opportunity for recovery. The key to this stage will be managing energy and positioning for the brutal sequence of climbs.

Mountain Classification (KOM) Points:

This stage is absolutely crucial for the mountains classification, with significant points on offer, especially on the three Category 1 climbs. Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana) is currently leading the mountains classification.

Here are the categorized climbs and their details:

1. Valico della Fricca (formerly Carbonare):
   • Category: 2
   • Distance: 12.9 km
   • Average Gradient: 4.6% (max 10%)
   • Summit Location: Approx. km 76.0
2. Candriai:
   • Category: 1
   • Distance: 10.1 km
   • Average Gradient: 7.6% (max 13%)
   • Summit Location: Approx. km 115.6
   • Note: This is effectively the tougher lower half of Monte Bondone.
3. Passo di Santa Barbara:
   • Category: 1
   • Distance: 12.7 km
   • Average Gradient: 8.3% (max 14%)
   • Summit Location: Approx. km 169.0
   • This climb is considered the most fearsome before the final ascent and could see early GC attacks.
4. San Valentino (Brentonico) (Summit Finish):
   • Category: 1
   • Distance: 18.2 km
   • Average Gradient: 6.1%
   • Summit Location: Finish line at km 203.6
   • While the average gradient is moderate, this climb features several very steep sections, particularly between kilometers 9 and 13.5 (averaging 9.2%) and in the final 3km (over 9%). This is where the stage will be won and lost.

Sprint Classification Points:

Despite being a brutal mountain stage, there are still opportunities for sprint points, which could be contested by riders looking to secure points for the Maglia Ciclamino (points classification). However, given the difficulty of the stage, these sprints are unlikely to be contested by pure sprinters and will instead see a battle amongst rouleurs or breakaway artists. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) currently leads the points classification.

Here are the intermediate sprint locations:

1. Piovene Rocchette:
   • Location: Km 39.5
   • Points Awarded: 12-8-5-3-1 for the first five riders.
2. Cavedine:
   • Location: Km 139.4
   • Points Awarded: 12-8-5-3-1 for the first five riders.

Finish Line Points: Points are also awarded at the summit finish for the top 10 riders: 15-12-9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.

Strategic Implications:

Stage 16, coming directly after the final rest day, is a pivotal moment in the Giro. The sheer amount of climbing and the challenging summit finish make it ideal for GC contenders to gain significant time. Expect aggressive racing, especially on Passo di Santa Barbara and the final climb to San Valentino, as riders aim to test their rivals and solidify or improve their positions on the general classification. A strong breakaway with capable climbers is also a possibility if the GC teams decide to conserve energy for the ultimate battle.

Summary of the 16th stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia

Stage 17 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia is scheduled for Wednesday, May 28, 2025, and will be a challenging mountain stage covering 155 kilometers from San Michele all’Adige to Bormio.

This stage is expected to be crucial for the general classification contenders. Despite being officially labeled as “hilly,” it features a significant 3,800 meters of altitude gain and includes some iconic Italian climbs.

Key climbs of Stage 17:

• Passo del Tonale (Category 2): This climb begins around kilometer 58.8 and is 15.2 kilometers long with an average gradient of 6%. While the final kilometers are gentler, the initial sections can be steep, with gradients up to 9%.
• Passo del Mortirolo (Category 1): This legendary climb is the most significant of the day. Although it’s being tackled from its “easier” Monno side, it’s still a formidable ascent: 12.6 kilometers long with an average gradient of 7.6%, featuring particularly steep sections, with the final 3 kilometers consistently above 10% and reaching highs of 16%. The summit of the Mortirolo comes with approximately 48 kilometers still to race.
• Le Motte (Category 3): This shorter, sharp climb appears closer to the finish, at around kilometer 146.1. It’s 3.1 kilometers long with an average gradient of 8.1%, and can reach 13%. From the summit, there’s a 9-kilometer descent into Bormio.

The stage profile suggests that while the Mortirolo is the main event, its distance from the finish (approximately 50km after the summit) means that the dynamics of the race could be quite open. A difficult descent follows the Mortirolo, leading into a valley road towards Bormio. The final few kilometers into Bormio are mostly downhill with a slight uphill kick to the line in the last 100 meters, along with some sharp corners.

This stage is tailor-made for strong climbers and will likely see attacks from general classification favorites looking to gain time or break away specialists vying for a stage win. The high altitude of both the Tonale and Mortirolo could also play a significant role.

Summary of the 16th stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia

Stage 16 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia, held on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, proved to be a chaotic and decisive mountain stage, significantly reshaping the General Classification (GC). The 203-kilometer route from Piazzola sul Brenta to San Valentino (Brentonico) featured nearly 5,000 meters of elevation gain across four categorized climbs, including a brutal summit finish.

Stage Winner: The stage was won by Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana Team), who crossed the finish line hand-in-hand with his teammate and breakaway companion, Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana Team). Fortunato effectively secured the King of the Mountains jersey with his strong performance.

Key Race Events & GC Shake-up:

• Early Breakaway: A strong breakaway formed early in the stage, with Scaroni and Fortunato proving to be the strongest.
• Roglič Abandons: In a dramatic turn of events, pre-race favorite Primož Roglič (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe) crashed out of the race, marking a major blow to his GC hopes.
• Ayuso Cracks: Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who had been in third place overall, struggled significantly on the penultimate climb (Santa Barbara) and lost a considerable amount of time, dropping out of the top 10.
• Del Toro Holds Pink (Just Barely): Race leader Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) faced immense pressure on the final climb to San Valentino. Despite being dropped by several GC rivals, including Richard Carapaz and Simon Yates, the young Mexican dug deep and managed to limit his losses, clinging to the pink jersey.
• Carapaz and Yates Gain Time: Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) launched a powerful attack on the final climb, gaining significant time on Del Toro and Simon Yates. Yates also distanced Del Toro, setting up a thrilling final week.
• Pellizzari Impresses: Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe), a strong climber who had been working for Roglič, rode an impressive stage, finishing third and moving into the top 10 of the GC.

New GC Standings (Top 3 after Stage 16):

1. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) – Maglia Rosa (Leader’s Pink Jersey)
2. Simon Yates (Team Visma – Lease a Bike) – at 26 seconds
3. Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) – at 31 seconds

This stage, described as one of the hardest climbing days in recent memory, lived up to its billing, delivering an explosive and unpredictable day of racing that left the general classification wide open for the final week.

Distinctive jerseys after 15th stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia

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