PREVIEW | Tour de Suisse 2025 stage 5 - Another chance for Joao Almeida to claw time back

From the 15th to 22nd of June the World Tour peloton will tackle the Tour de Suisse, one of the hardest races in the calendar and the last of the 'big 7' one-week stage-races in the calendar. We preview stage 5.

Stage 5 will take place almost fully close to the border with Italy and finishing on the Italian-speaking area of the country. It's an unusual day of racing, starting at high altitude in La Punt instead of finishing there, and tackling early on the Julierpass which reaches almost 2300 meters of altitude.

The riders then slowly climb up to the Passo del San Bernardino, the final 7.5 kilometers of which average 6% and go above 2000 meters of altitude once again. This ascent ends with 65 kilometers to go, but it shouldn't have much influence on the day.

The final climb will, and it will be raced on two occasions, with 21 kilometers to go and the final time coinciding with the finish. The ascent to Castaneda is 4.5 kilometers long at almost 10% and packed with switchbacks from start to finish, it will be a thing of beauty. In the final time up the riders finish in the town above and the climb will average around the same gradients but for over 6 kilometers in length.

*** Joao Almeida
** Felix Gall, Ben O’Connor
* Oscar Onley, Matthew Riccitello, Kevin Vauquelin, Ilan Van Wilder, Clement Champoussin

Pick: Joao Almeida