The second grand tour of the year is here, and it’s the one where visions are tinged with rose pink.

The Giro d’Italia Women is a long-standing, iconic fixture on the women’s calendar, bringing with it a contagious sense of cycling romanticism and pure passion that the Italians deliver in spades. Traditionally, it’s a race where only the most resilient and powerful riders can thrive, with others inevitably being found out along the way.

The ultimate prize is the legendary Maglia Rosa – awarded to those exceptional riders who can master the unpredictability and immense demands of this gruelling race. Joining the quest to find this year’s pink-jersey wearer for CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto are Chiara Consonni, Tiffany Cromwell, Justyna Czapla, Alice Towers, Soraya Paladin, Antonia Niedermaier, and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig.

Prestigious events like this tend to raise the bar year after year, and the 2025 Giro is no exception. Taking place from July 6 to 13, it promises to be yet another rigorous, relentless rendition, now in its second year under the stewardship of men’s race organisers RCS. This partnership has elevated the 36-year-old race, providing a sturdier foundation for it to flourish – despite the race no longer stretching to ten stages. Alternatively, this year’s itinerary features eight stages, covering an impressive 919.6 kilometres and a staggering 14,000+ metres of climbing. 

A 14km time trial opens the account, darting and diving through Bergamo, hometown of Chiara, nestled in the region of Lombardy, before the route weaves through Northern Italy for the first five road stages. Then, a marked shift southward along the western coast leads riders through the micro-nation of San Marino on stage 6, culminating in a stage 8 grand finale at the historic Imola motor-racing circuit. It’s partially the same course that hosted the 2020 UCI Road World Championships – delivering a unique and captivating grande arrivo. The only truly flat day comes on stage 5 – a welcome respite for GC contenders and a prime opportunity for the sprinters. Three stages include summit finishes, the earliest of which arrives on day 2 with a long, gradual climb to Aprica. The queen stage is on day 7, featuring a summit finish at Monte Nerone (14.6km at 6.8%), concluding a brutal day with over 3610m of elevation gain.

Another interesting talking point is the race’s highest climb, Passo del Tonale (8.4km at 8.2%), tackled early on stage 3. Ironically, this stage is expected to favour sprinters, provided they can stay within striking distance during the battle for the Cima Alfonsina Strada, awarded to the first rider over this highest point, or catch back up in the remaining, mostly downhill 106km.

Hear from each of our Giro competitors – some with plenty of laps around the country, others bringing a fresh perspective — as they share their thoughts ahead of the event. Consider this your inside scoop on our sweet 2025 Giro lineup.

Chiara Consonni

“You’ve won a stage at the Giro three years in a row – what would make this year’s edition stand out even more, and how special is it to be starting in your hometown of Bergamo?”

– “For me, it will be a super special feeling to start the Giro from Bergamo because I live there and I always train there, so I know the roads – I know everything. Unfortunately, it’s not, like, the best start for me with an ITT, but I think it will still be super great to see all my family and friends shouting for me. Bergamo is a city that loves cycling, so it will be super fun.”

– “I think this year, the Giro is a bit harder than in other years, so we try to first to be focused on the GC with Toni and then we will see if there will be an opportunity for me, of course, but I don’t think there are a lot! I will still be ready for every stage that it’s not super hard and can arrive in a bunch sprint.”

Tiffany Cromwell

“This is your 15th (!) Giro, but is there still something about this race that surprises you?”

– “Nothing ever surprises me in this race. Something typically Giro though is that you’ve always got to expect the unexpected – especially with the routes and stage profiles. It might look easy on paper, but many times you then get a surprise crazy climb or something entirely unexpected. We call that the ‘Giro stitch-up’.”

“You’ve spent a lot of this season racing gravel – how has that shaped your preparation for the Giro?”

– “It wasn’t really planned that way, but with missing out on half the classics because of my collarbone and then Thuringen getting cancelled, it left me with a huge gap between road races. But, it was nice that I could fill it with some gravel races and a four week block of altitude. For sure, gravel racing gives you really good aerobic endurance where you are able to suffer for a long period of time, so this should help with with stage racing and the 8 days of the giro that we have. You also build a lot of pure power on gravel because of the roughness of some of the courses, but you do miss the higher top-end intensity efforts that are more common in road racing – I’ve had to make sure I keep training that. But, I think the main thing will be that I come in with a fresh mindset having been away from the road for a while, whereas some people start to get a bit tired mentally by the middle of the season. Being back in a team environment will be nice.”

Justyna Czapla

“You’re lining up for your second-ever Grand Tour – what lessons from La Vuelta are you bringing into the Giro?”

– “First of all, that a stage race is nothing like a one-day race. With over one week of racing, each day brings different feelings, different legs, and different conditions. Every day is a new challenge, but also a new opportunity, and anything can happen. At the same time, recovery between stages is just as important as the racing itself. It’s not only about giving your best on the bike, but also about doing everything right afterwards to prepare your body and mind for the next day. And maybe most importantly, it all comes down to teamwork. No one wins a stage race alone. It takes a full team working together, sticking to the plan, and supporting each other through the highs and lows. That’s the mindset I’m bringing into the Giro.”

Alice Towers

“You got your first taste of the Giro last year – is there anything you’ve taken from that experience that’s shaped how you’ve prepared for this year, or how you plan to approach the race once it’s underway?”

• “Last year’s Giro left a bit of a bad taste for me, to be honest! I crashed out on stage 4 and missed most of the real action. The stories I’ve heard from my teammates is that it’s essential to prepare for the heat again this year, so I’ve been doing plenty of overdressed sessions and saunas to try and acclimatise for what likely going to be a roasting week!”

Soraya Paladin

“You might not have as many Giro starts as Tiffany, but 12 is still a serious number! Last year you came so close to a stage win – are there any stages this time around that you’ve got your eye on?”

– “After so many participations at the Giro, I can definitely be helpful with the experience I’ve gained, especially for the younger riders like Antonia, who will be aiming for the GC. As an Italian, the Giro is always a race that means a lot to me and it holds something special. Of course, winning a stage would be a dream, but I don’t want to stress myself too much trying to chase it. I want to have fun. I’ll try to be ready when the right opportunities come. I’d love to be a protagonist in stage four that finishes in Pianezze, because it goes through the roads where I’ve always trained, but there are many other stages suited for breakaways or that fit my characteristics. I’ve also done the recon of stage 6 that goes through San Marino – I really like that one too.”

Antonia Niedermaier

“Your relationship with the Giro has had its ups and downs – including a stage win in 2023 and sixth overall last year. Are there specific ambitions you’re aiming for this time around?”

– “For sure it is a special race for me. This year I hope I can be on the podium, but we will also try to fight for the overall GC.”

Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig

“Once this year’s Giro is done and dusted, what would need to happen for you to look back and say: that was a successful week?”

– “If we’ve truly raced with our hearts – giving everything we have. If we stayed united as a team, supported each other through every high and low, and found moments to laugh and enjoy the journey together. Most of all, if we gave Antonia the best possible shot at a great GC placing, if we backed her fully and left nothing in the tank, then I’ll be proud of what we have achieved.”

HOW TO FOLLOW

Stage 1 | Sunday, July 6 | Bergamo – Bergamo | 14.2km (ITT) | 71m elevation | First rider: 11:35. LIVE TBC.

Stage 2 | Monday, July 7 | Clusone  – Aprica | 92km | 1542m elevation | Start: 11:40 – Fastest finish: 14:22 CET. LIVE TBC.

Stage 3 | Tuesday, July 8 | Vezza d’Oglio – Trento | 122.6km | 1228m elevation | Start: 11:20 – Fastest finish: 14:20 CET. LIVE TBC.

Stage 4 | Wednesday, July 9 | Castello Tesino – Pianezze (Valdobbiadene) | 142.5km | 2773m elevation | Start: 10:15 – Fastest finish: 14:18 CET. LIVE TBC.

Stage 5 | Thursday, July 10 | Mirano – Monselice | 119.7km  | 291m elevation | Start: 11:40 – Fastest finish: 14:21 CET. LIVE TBC.

Stage 6 | Friday, July 11 | Bellaria-Igea Marina – Terre Roveresche (Orciano di Pesaro) | 145.1km  | 2436m elevation | Start: 10:25 – Fastest finish: 14:18 CET. LIVE TBC.

Stage 7 | Saturday, July 12 | Fermignano – Monto Nerone | 149.8km  | 3610m elevation | Start: 9:50 – Fastest finish: 14:10 CET. LIVE TBC.

Stage 8 | Sunday, July 13 | Forlì – Imola (Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari) | 133.8km  | 2417m elevation | Start: 10:40 – Fastest finish: 14:15 CET. LIVE TBC.

Live coverage available via Eurosport, Discovery Plus, TNT Sports, FloBikes and RAI Sport. Stay updated on X with #GirodItaliaWomen and #UCIWWT, and follow CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto’s social channels for the latest team updates.