CYCLING: Giro d’Italia 2.UWT Stage 20 2025 (ITA)

Giro d’Italia 2025: Stage 20 Preview

Stage 20 of the Giro d’Italia 2025, taking place on Saturday, May 31, 2025, is set to be the decisive mountain stage and the final showdown for the general classification. It’s a brutal day in the Alps that will determine who wears the Maglia Rosa into Rome.

Route Profile:

• Start: Verrès
• Finish: Sestriere (Vialattea)
• Distance: 205 km
• Elevation Gain: 4,500 meters

The stage begins with a relatively flat first 100 kilometers, allowing for a potential early breakaway to form and build a lead. However, the true difficulty of the stage lies in its second half, with a succession of increasingly tough climbs.

Key Climbs:

1. Corio (Cat. 4): This is the first categorized climb, coming at km 69.2. It’s a relatively gentle warm-up before the real Alpine tests.
2. Colle del Lys (Cat. 2): Starting after Rocca Canavese, this climb is 13.7 km long with an average gradient of 4.7%, though it can hit 12% in sections. It takes the riders into the Susa Valley.
3. Colle delle Finestre (Cima Coppi): This is the undisputed “monster” climb of the stage and the entire Giro, and the Cima Coppi for 2025 as the highest point of the race at 2,178 meters.
   • Length: 18.5 km
   • Average Gradient: 9.2%, with consistent steepness throughout.
   • Gravel Section: The final 8-9 km are on unpaved gravel roads, making the effort even more punishing and adding a unique challenge.
   • Hairpins: It features a classic series of tight hairpin turns, demanding constant effort and good positioning.
   • Historical Significance: The Finestre is legendary, known for pivotal moments in past Giros, including Chris Froome’s famous solo attack in 2018.
4. Sestriere (Cat. 3): After a technical 11 km descent from the Finestre, the riders face the final climb to the ski resort of Sestriere.
   • Length: 16.2 km
   • Average Gradient: 3.8% (though some sources mention the final 9.2km at 5.4%).
   • While not as steep as the Finestre, the accumulated fatigue from the preceding climbs will make even these gentler gradients feel like walls. The finish is uphill, on a wide, well-paved road.

Race Dynamics and Predictions:

This stage is designed for the pure climbers and will be the last chance for any GC contender to make significant time gains before the final, largely ceremonial, stage in Rome.

• General Classification Battle: The focus will be on the Maglia Rosa holder, Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates–XRG), and his closest rivals, notably Richard Carapaz (EF Education–EasyPost) and Simon Yates (Visma | Lease a Bike). Del Toro holds a lead, but the Finestre is a climb where big gaps can be created. Carapaz, known for his attacking style and experience on gravel, is expected to launch a strong offensive.
• Breakaway Potential: While the GC battle is paramount, a strong breakaway could also contend for the stage win if the GC favorites are too focused on marking each other.
• Fatigue Factor: After three weeks of racing and several grueling mountain stages in the final week, fatigue will play a huge role. Riders who have managed their efforts well will likely shine.

The stage promises to be a thrilling spectacle, with the gravel section of the Colle delle Finestre likely to be the defining moment of the 2025 Giro d’Italia.

Giro d’Italia 2025: Stage 20 Overview

As of Friday, May 30, 2025, at the close of Stage 19, the Giro d’Italia 2025 General Classification leader is Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates–XRG), who holds the Maglia Rosa. Stage 20 is currently underway (it’s Saturday, May 31, 2025), and is the final mountain stage.

Here’s an overview of Stage 20 and the current standings for the sprint and mountain classifications before the results of Stage 20 are finalized:

Giro d’Italia 2025: Stage 20 Overview

Stage 20: Verrès – Sestriere (Vialattea)

• Date: Saturday, May 31, 2025
• Distance: 205 km
• Profile: A brutal mountain stage, considered the “Queen Stage” and the final opportunity for GC contenders to make significant changes. It features three major categorized climbs, culminating in an uphill finish.
• Key Climbs:
  • Corio (Cat. 4): A warm-up climb.
  • Colle del Lys (Cat. 2): A substantial ascent.
  • Colle delle Finestre (Cima Coppi, HC): The highest point of the Giro, legendary for its steep gradients and a significant gravel section in the final 8-9 km. This is where the race for the Maglia Rosa is expected to explode.
  • Sestriere (Cat. 3): The final climb to the ski resort finish, coming after a technical descent from Finestre.

Classification Standings (As of end of Stage 19, May 30, 2025)

General Classification (Maglia Rosa – Pink Jersey):

1. Isaac del Toro (MEX) – UAE Team Emirates XRG (73h 47′ 59″)
2. Richard Carapaz (ECU) – EF Education–EasyPost (+ 43″)
3. Simon Yates (GBR) – Visma–Lease a Bike (+ 1′ 21″)

Del Toro extended his lead slightly on Stage 19, demonstrating resilience against attacks. This stage is his ultimate test to defend the pink jersey.

Points Classification (Maglia Ciclamino – Cyclamen Jersey): As of the end of Stage 19, the points classification leader is firmly established. Stage 20 offers fewer points for sprinters, making it unlikely for significant changes at the very top.

1. Mads Pedersen (DEN) – Lidl–Trek (277 points)
2. Olav Kooij (NED) – Visma–Lease a Bike (135 points)
3. Wout van Aert (BEL) – Visma–Lease a Bike (107 points)
4. Isaac del Toro (MEX) – UAE Team Emirates XRG (107 points)

Mads Pedersen has a commanding lead in the points classification, making it mathematically very difficult for anyone to unseat him, especially on a mountain stage.

Mountain Classification (Maglia Azzurra – Blue Jersey): This classification is highly contested on Stage 20 due to the significant number of points available, especially on the Colle delle Finestre (Cima Coppi).

1. Lorenzo Fortunato (ITA) – XDS Astana Team (355 points)
2. Christian Scaroni (ITA) – XDS Astana Team (201 points)
3. Nicolas Prodhomme (FRA) – Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale (107 points)

Points available on Stage 20 for Mountains Classification:

• Colle delle Finestre (Cima Coppi): 50-30-20-14-10-6-4-2-1 points for the top 9 riders.
• Colle del Lys (Cat. 2): 18-8-6-4-2-1 points for the top 6 riders.
• Sestriere (Cat. 3 – uphill finish): 9-4-2-1 points for the top 4 riders.
• Corio (Cat. 4): 3-2-1 points for the top 3 riders.

Fortunato is in a strong position, but with the Cima Coppi offering substantial points, a strong performance from a rival climber or a GC contender could still influence the final outcome of the blue jersey.

The winner of Stage 20 will be determined today, and it will be a crucial stage for the overall classification before the final, largely ceremonial, stage into Rome.

Summary of the 20th stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia

The 20th stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia, from Verrès to Sestrière, proved to be a pivotal and dramatic day that completely reshaped the General Classification, culminating in Simon Yates (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) seizing the Maglia Rosa.

The stage, which featured the formidable Colle delle Finestre (with its challenging gravel section and being the Cima Coppi of this year’s Giro) before the final climb to Sestrière, was won by Chris Harper (Team Jayco AlUla). Harper, who was part of an early and substantial breakaway, launched a solo attack on the Finestre and managed to hold on for an impressive stage victory.

However, all eyes were on the GC battle behind him. Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who had held the pink jersey since Stage 9, and his closest rival Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), engaged in a tactical standoff on the Finestre. This hesitation proved costly as Simon Yates, starting the day 1 minute and 21 seconds behind Del Toro, unleashed a series of powerful attacks on the Finestre.

Yates, with crucial assistance from his teammate Wout van Aert who had been in the earlier breakaway and then dropped back to support him, steadily opened up a significant gap. While Del Toro and Carapaz focused on marking each other, Yates’s lead ballooned. By the time he crested the Finestre, he was the virtual leader of the Giro.

Yates continued to push hard on the final climb to Sestrière, securing third place on the stage and finishing with a massive advantage over his rivals. The dramatic turn of events saw Simon Yates take a commanding lead in the General Classification, now nearly four minutes ahead of Isaac del Toro, who dropped to second. Richard Carapaz fell to third.

This stage marked a stunning redemption for Yates, who had previously lost the Giro on the very same Finestre climb in 2018. His aggressive and calculated ride completely flipped the race on its head, setting him up to win the Giro d’Italia on the final flat stage in Rome.

Distinctive jerseys after 20th stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia

Source: https://www.instagram.com/giroditalia/