The showpiece of the Giro d'Italia 2025 takes place in the Piedmont region. The Italo-philes among us know that climbing work is on the program. Very heavy climbing work, to be precise. The nineteenth stage departs from the capital of the province of the same name, Biella, where about 45,000 people live. One of the best-known former residents of Biella is footballer Alberto Gilardino. Between 2002 and 2011, he had his heyday at successively Parma, AC Milan, and especially Fiorentina. In total, he came to no less than 610 matches in Serie A, in which the striker scored 220 goals. In 2006, Gilardino became world champion with Italy. He is now a trainer at Genoa.

Several former cyclists also come from Biella, an important center for the wool and textile industry. Simone Bruson and Mattia Pozzo may not immediately ring a bell, but Denis Lunghi might. In 2002, he won the twelfth stage in the Giro for Colpack-Astro solo, when the finish line was drawn in Chieti. The chalk line of this stage in 2025 is drawn in Champoluc. We know this place mainly through the grueling U23 climbing race Giro Ciclistico Valle d'Aosta. In recent years, the finish was there twice. In 2019, Michel Ries beat Maxim Van Gils and Kevin Inkelaar there, last year Jarno Widar scored a double victory.

Route On paper, this might be the toughest stage of all. Only 166 kilometers long, but with no less than 4950 elevation meters. Together with stages sixteen and twenty, this nineteenth stage is the only one to receive five stars from organizer RCS Sport. And that's not entirely surprising. The organization has crammed five climbs into it. Almost immediately from the start, the tired peloton begins the final weekend with the Croce Serra. Although this climb is 11.3 kilometers long, the average gradient is 'only' a 4.6 percent. Especially the beginning and end are difficult, allowing attackers to get the chance to form a strong break of the day here.

In the valley, they must then hope that the peloton gives them space. After fifty kilometers, the Col Tzecore looms. This is a first-category climb. It's the first of three mountains with a length of more than fifteen kilometers. With its average of 7.7% and a peak of 15%, it's also immediately the most difficult of the three. Anyone who has a bad moment on the Tzecore can lose the good classification they have built up in two and a half weeks just like that. From here, it's a road of suffering. After rounding the top, a descent of 26 kilometers awaits, bringing the riders to the foot of the feared Col de Saint-Pantaléon.

From 1991 to 2018, that climb was in the Giro four times, while in the last five years it was also the decisive factor three times in a stage of the Giro della Valle d'Aosta. Often that's in combination with Breuil-Cervinia, but this time that's not the case. From the top of the Pantaléon (16.5 kilometers at 7.2% with a peak up to 12%), the riders descend some twenty kilometers to the foot of the Col de Joux. Despite the French name, we're still in Italy. This climb is over fifteen kilometers long at 6.9%. After that top, it's still six kilometers of descending to the Antagnod of 9.4 kilometers long at 4.6%. You don't make the difference there anymore. Four and a half kilometers later, the finish is in Champoluc.

30 May 2025	Giro d'Italia - Stage 19
20 Jul 2024	Giro Ciclistico della Valle d'Aosta - Mont Blanc - Stage 4
19 Jul 2019	Giro Ciclistico della Valle d'Aosta Mont Blanc - Stage 3
30 Apr 2001	Giro delle Regioni - Stage 5
5 Jul 2000	Giro d Italia Internazionale Femminile - Stage 9

Champoluc(Valle d'Aosta)