What we know about the 2025 Giro d'Italia - Albania start; mini Strade Bianche; Colle delle Finestre return...

The Giro d'Italia always surprises and always delivers exciting routes. The 2025 edition may be one of the most unique as it may begin in Eastern Europe far away from the traditional countries; but what we know about the rest of the route thus far also includes a few exciting details.

The route, of both men's and women's races, will be revealed on the 12th of November, and it's safe to say that the organizers have been able to keep quite a tight leash on the coming out of rumours. The Grande Partenza should actually be in the country of Albania for the first time in the sport's history, and it would be quite a big move for a cycling with little cycling tradition. The nation stands in the other side of the Adriatic sea and so it is very plausible that this will happen. An initial time-trial in Tirana, but the other two days are relatively unknown in terms of expectations.

A boat trip across to Italy later and the route should continue in the southeast of the country and start to move up north, through it's western side. A finale in Napoli seems quite likely after the success of recent years; rumours suggest a summit finish somewhere in the Appeninnes which could be in the ascent to Tagliacozzo; and stage 9 is heavily rumoured to finish in Siena which could very well be a day with gravel sectors set to mimic Strade Bianche. This could prove to be a key day in the race and an unusual test in a Grand Tour.

The second week should have a time-trial in Pisa and a quick transition to the Alps where stage 12 could have a finale in Cortina d'Ampezzo - which is very close to the famous Passo Giau. The race heads east towards the Trieste area and a finale in Gorizia, Slovenia, could happen again, after the city also hosted a finale of the 2021 race where Victor Campenaerts was the eventual winner.

After the race turns around and goes back into the Alps heading west. Stage 15 will wrap up the second week and although the finale is unknown, it should be in the Trentino region. Stage 16 will likely end in Bormio, and the town's proximity to monsters such as the Passo dello Stelvio and Passo Gavia could make for a key day in the race.

Stages 17 and 18 could be transition days, the cities of Cesano Maderno and Asti are rumoured to host them, before two final days in the mountains. Stage 19 is likely to see a return to the Valle d'Aosta for an explosive day in the mountains with a finale likely in the town of Ayas. And stage 20, finally (before the trip and finale in Rome), will finish in Sestriere. The Tour de France also negotiated to host a finale here but the Giro seems to have been favoured; this is very likely to feature the Colle delle Finèstre as the final decisive climb of the race and the profile could be very similar to that of the 2018 edition where Chris Froome conquered the race with an epic raid.