CYCLING: Giro d’Italia 2.UWT Stage 18 2025 (ITA)

Giro d’Italia 2025: Stage 18 Preview

Stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia 2025 is scheduled for Thursday, May 29, 2025, and will cover a distance of 144 kilometers from Morbegno to Cesano Maderno.

This stage is classified as a hilly stage with a flat finish, making it a prime opportunity for either a successful breakaway or a bunch sprint.

Route Profile and Key Climbs:

The first half of the stage features three categorized climbs, which could be instrumental in forming a strong breakaway:

• Parlasco: This is the toughest of the early climbs, at 7.6 kilometers with an average gradient of 6.2%. It’s categorized as a Category 2 climb.
• Colle Balisio: After a short descent and a plateau, the riders will tackle the Colle Balisio, a Category 3 climb of 4.3 kilometers at 4.1%.
• Ravellino: Following a descent back towards Lake Como, the final categorized climb is Ravellino, an 8.9-kilometer ascent averaging 4.3%, also a Category 3 climb.

After the Ravellino, there’s another uncategorized ascent, and then the terrain flattens out significantly for the final 50-60 kilometers into Cesano Maderno.

The Finish:

The final kilometers in Cesano Maderno are described as flat, with a 13 km circuit featuring several sharp corners that break up long straights. The last 3 kilometers are largely straight, with only two curves, and the final one leading to a 750-meter straight on wide asphalt. This should provide a clear run-in for the sprinters if the peloton manages to bring back any breakaway.

Potential Scenarios:

• Sprinters’ Teams vs. Breakaway: Given the early climbs, a strong breakaway group of puncheurs and rouleurs will likely form. Their success will depend on how committed the sprinters’ teams are to chasing, especially with two challenging mountain stages following this one. The relatively short distance of 144km might also favor a breakaway, as there’s less time for the peloton to fatigue the escapees.
• Bunch Sprint: If the sprinters’ teams can control the race over the climbs and on the flat run-in, a large bunch sprint is highly probable. This stage offers one of the last opportunities for pure sprinters before the race heads into the high mountains and the final procession into Rome.

Favorites:

Riders like Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), who has shown strong form in similar stages, will be among the top contenders if it comes down to a sprint. Other fast men who can get over the short climbs, such as Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike), Ben Turner (Ineos Grenadiers), Max Kanter (XDS Astana Team), Orluis Aular (Movistar), Corbin Strong (Israel-Premier Tech), and Maikel Zijlaard (Tudor Pro Cycling), could also be in the mix. If a breakaway succeeds, strong all-rounders and opportunists will be eyeing the win.

Giro d’Italia 2025: Stage 18 Overview

Stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia 2025, taking place on Thursday, May 29, 2025, is a 144-kilometer route from Morbegno to Cesano Maderno. This stage is officially classified as a hilly stage with a flat finish, which sets up an interesting dynamic for both sprint and mountain classifications.

Route Overview:

The stage can be broadly divided into three sections:

1. Flat Start (approx. 30 km): The initial kilometers from Morbegno to Bellano are mostly flat, allowing the peloton to settle in and potential breakaways to form.
2. Hilly Middle Section (approx. 60 km): This is the crucial part of the stage for the mountain classification and for breakaway hopefuls. It features three categorized climbs:
   • Parlasco (km 37.7): A Category 2 climb, 7.6 km long at an average gradient of 6.2%. This is the toughest ascent of the day.
   • Colle Balisio (km 54.5): A Category 3 climb, 4.3 km long at 4.1%.
   • Ravellino (km 78.0): Another Category 3 climb, 8.9 km long at 4.0%. After these categorized climbs, there’s also an uncategorized kicker and a bonus sprint in Sirtori.
3. Flat Finish (approx. 50-60 km): Following the final climb, the terrain flattens significantly, leading into Cesano Maderno. The final kilometers are straightforward, with a relatively flat and wide run-in to the finish line, making it conducive to a bunch sprint if the breakaway is caught.

Classification Points:

Sprint Classification (Maglia Ciclamino – Purple Jersey):

Stage 18 is categorized as a high-points stage for the points classification, offering significant rewards at the finish line and intermediate sprints.

• Finish Line (Cesano Maderno): As a “Category A+B” stage (stages with generally flat or gently rolling profiles), the points awarded for the top 15 riders are:
  • 1st: 50 points
  • 2nd: 35 points
  • 3rd: 25 points
  • …down to 1 point for 15th place.
• Intermediate Sprints: There will be two intermediate sprints, offering points for the first five riders:
  • 1st: 12 points
  • 2nd: 8 points
  • 3rd: 5 points
  • 4th: 3 points
  • 5th: 1 point

This stage is one of the last major opportunities for the pure sprinters to score substantial points before the final mountain stages and the largely ceremonial final stage in Rome. Riders like Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike), who are often high in the points classification standings, will be looking to capitalize.

Mountain Classification (Maglia Azzurra – Blue Jersey):

While not a high mountain stage, the three categorized climbs offer valuable points for the King of the Mountains competition.

• Parlasco (Category 2):
  • 1st: 18 points
  • 2nd: 8 points
  • 3rd: 6 points
  • 4th: 4 points
  • 5th: 2 points
  • 6th: 1 point
• Colle Balisio (Category 3):
  • 1st: 9 points
  • 2nd: 4 points
  • 3rd: 2 points
  • 4th: 1 point
• Ravellino (Category 3):
  • 1st: 9 points
  • 2nd: 4 points
  • 3rd: 2 points
  • 4th: 1 point

A rider who manages to crest all three climbs first could potentially gain 36 mountain points, which can be significant, especially for riders looking to consolidate or improve their position in the classification without necessarily targeting a stage win. Puncheurs and riders who excel in breakaways often target these mid-mountain stages for KOM points.

Summary of the 18th stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia

more to come…

Distinctive jerseys after 18th stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia

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