Yes, the Tour’s On—But So Is the 2025 Giro d’Italia Donne
While the men race in France, the women tackle three summit finishes, a technical ITT, and a chaotic finale in Imola at the final Giro Donne to be held in July.
Hello, women’s cycling fans,
This is the last time the Giro d’Italia Donne will go head-to-head with the men’s Tour de France—and honestly, good riddance. Starting next year, the race finally moves to a late May time slot, giving it a chance to shine without fighting for scraps. But for now, it’s still stuck in July’s shadow, competing against the biggest media machine in the sport.
That doesn’t mean this year’s edition lacks star power. Reusser rolls in fresh off a dominant Tour de Suisse win. Kopecky and Wiebes bring the firepower for sprints and fast finishes. Longo Borghini is defending her title on home soil, while the ageless Vos is hunting for more stage wins in what could turn into a classics-style showdown on multiple days.
And don’t sleep on the climbers. With the Tour de France Femmes looming later this month, GC queens like Vollering and Niewiadoma are skipping the Giro again. But that opens the door for others: mountain domestiques like Lippert, Muzic, and Labous could finally have their shot to lead, attack, and maybe even shake up the overall.
It’s not a perfect situation. But it might just make for one hell of a race.
–Rosael
The Other Grand Tour Happening This Week: Giro d’Italia Donne 2025
🗓 July 6–13
📍 Start: Bergamo | Finish: Imola Autodrome
📏 919.2km | ⛰ 14,300m elevation gain | ⏱ 8 stages
This year’s course is classic Giro: beautiful, brutal, and unpredictable. The peloton will tackle over 14,000 meters of elevation in just eight days—no Mortirolo this time, but plenty of decisive terrain. It’s the second year of RCS Sport’s management, and the final time this race will compete with the men’s Tour for airtime before moving to a new May slot in 2026.
Stage 1’s technical TT in Bergamo could hand an early lead to Marlen Reusser (Movistar), fresh off her Tour de Suisse win. But from Stage 2 onward, it’s all about the mountains. Aprica, Pianezze, Monte Nerone—these climbs leave no room for bluffing.
This is a race for well-rounded climbers with good team support and sharp tactical instincts. The time trial and Stage 8’s punchy Imola circuit suit GC riders who can handle a little chaos. There’s little on offer for sprinters—only Stage 5 looks fully flat—but expect Lotte Kopecky, Lorena Wiebes, and Marianne Vos to animate the classics-style stages.
Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ) is defending her title at home, while Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) returns for a shot at a record-tying fifth Giro. Reusser is flying, and Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance–Soudal), Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Canyon//SRAM-zondacrypto), and Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix–Deceuninck) all have a shot at glory.
We could see fireworks on Monte Nerone. Or an ambush on Stage 6 through the Romagna hills. Or heartbreak on the final lap in Imola. This race has a history of being logistically messy and brutally hot, but it’s also getting sharper, more polished, and (finally) better televised.
Stage-by-Stage Breakdown:
Stage 1 (ITT, Bergamo): Punchy and technical, ideal for riders like Reusser to set an early GC tone.
Stage 2 (Aprica): A short but meaningful test with a summit finish that will highlight who’s in shape.
Stage 3 (Passo del Tonale): Front-loaded climbing with a long descent—GC riders must stay alert but not a decider.
Stage 4 (Pianezze): A long, jagged day with no flat sections and an 11.2km finishing climb at 7%—a key GC battleground.
Stage 5 (Monselice): Flat and straightforward—likely a sprinter’s only real chance.
Stage 6 (Romagna circuits): Rolling and unpredictable; the kind of terrain where breakaways or tactical attacks can flip the GC script.
Stage 7 (Monte Nerone): The Queen Stage. Relentless climbing with a brutal 8km final ascent averaging 8%—this is where the Maglia Rosa could be won or lost.
Stage 8 (Imola): No procession here. The 2020 Worlds circuit offers punchy climbs and fast descents across four laps. GC riders will need to defend their positions to the very end.
Who’s Not at the Giro—and Why It Matters
Despite the depth of this year’s field—Longo Borghini, Van der Breggen, Reusser, Kopecky, Wiebes, Vos—the absence of some marquee names still casts a shadow.
World #1 Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM-zondacrypto) are once again skipping the Giro to focus on the Tour de France Femmes. Neither has raced here since 2021. Niewiadoma’s teammate, TT specialist Chloé Dygert, is also absent despite strong form. Elisa Balsamo (Lidl–Trek), Italy’s top-ranked sprinter, is missing too. And her teammate Gaia Realini, once pegged as Italy’s next GC star, won’t line up either—whether due to injury, form, or a strategic shift remains unclear.
The result? An open race. Riders who normally work in the service of others—Lippert, Muzic, Labous—might finally get a shot at leadership. And we might see new stage winners, new faces in pink, and a GC podium that catches everyone off guard.
👑 Who’s Gunning for the Maglia Rosa?
Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE): 2024 champ, Italian champ, and UAE Tour winner. Can she go back-to-back?
Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx): Chasing a record-tying fifth Giro win. Don’t let the “comeback” label fool you.
Marlen Reusser (Movistar): Dominant in the TT and climbing better than ever.
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (Canyon//SRAM-zondacrypto): Always top 10—could this be her podium year?
Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix–Deceuninck): A sleeper GC threat with a nose for tough terrain.
Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance–Soudal): Debut Giro. If her form holds, she’ll be climbing with the best.
Marta Cavalli (Picnic PostNL): Runner-up in 2022. A sentimental favorite on home roads.
Also on the radar: Shirin van Anrooij, Antonia Niedermaier, Juliette Labous, Ruth Edwards, and of course, Marianne Vos, still hunting stage win number 33.
The Giro d’Italia Donne kicks off just one day after the men’s Tour starts. If you thought July was busy, buckle up.
📰 Giro Donne News Headlines
‘No dependency on Demi’ – Could the wider Vollering effect help FDJ-SUEZ to win another Grand Tour at the Giro d’Italia Women? (CyclingNews)
‘I can promise a battle’ – Elisa Longo Borghini builds momentum toward title defense at Giro d’Italia Women (CyclingNews)
📺 How to Watch the Giro d’Italia Women 2025
The Giro d’Italia Donne runs from July 6–13, with live broadcasts and streams available in most regions.
🇺🇸 USA: Stream via HBO Max for $19.98/month. Coverage starts at 6:50 AM EDT daily.
🇨🇦 Canada: FloBikes holds exclusive rights. $39.99/month or $203.88/year. Coverage starts at 6:50 AM EDT daily.
🇬🇧 UK: TNT Sports and Discovery+ (live and on-demand). Discovery+ starts at £30.99/month.
🇮🇹 Italy: Free coverage on RAI (RaiSport HD, Rai2, and RAI Play).
🇦🇺 Australia: No official broadcaster in 2025. (VPN + RAI is your best bet.)
🌍 Everywhere else: Try Staylive (powered by Eurosport) or the VPN of your choice to access region-locked streams.
RAI remains the best legal, free option—especially if you’re fluent in Italian (or okay with vibes over commentary 🤌).
Ci vediamo!