PREVIEW | Giro d'Italia 2025 stage 8

The Corsa Rosa is the first Grand Tour of the season and this year it will include a start in a nation that will for the first time in it's history host a Grand Tour, Albania; and also several mountain stages in it's second half whilst the first half will feature some tricky stages including one that goes through a lot of the Strade Bianche course. We preview stage 8.

Stage 8 is a true Giro classic, with plenty climbs of different lengths and gradients, a day well suited to a breakaway but where a lot can happen. We have difficult ascents on this day, but will the GC riders risk it before what is one of the key stages of the race?

It's a grizzly Giro day with 3700 meters of climbing and they will be spread from start to finish, with almost 200 kilometers in distance making it an endurance challenge as well. Climbers and puncheurs could fight for a stage win from a breakaway, in the peloton it's hard to believe anyone can or will want to control such a difficult and tricky day. Most will want to keep their GC aspirations safe, save their legs towards the gravel stage, or potentially even attack in the final hilltops.

There is a major climb to note which is the ascent to Sassotetto, 13 kilometers at over 7% which ends with 91 kilometers to go. Later on, 5.5Km at 6.9% which end with 45 kilometers to go... And then two small explosive ascents before the downhill finale into Castelraimondo.

The first is 1.4 kilometers at 7.3% which summit with 20 kilometers to go and have an intermediate sprint alongside it; whilst the second has two sections, the last of which 600 meters at 8% with a finale only 6.5 kilometers from the finish which can stimulate attacks. The downhill will go all the way into the final kilometer and there is the chance to create some small differences.

***
** 
* 

Pick: