Fight is on from day one at the Giro d’Italia Women 2025. Last year, Elisa Longo Borghini managed to hold onto the Maglia Rosa from start to finish – and that race began with a time trial too. While that opening stage was a bit more demanding in terms of elevation, this year’s TT in Bergamo looks like one for the specialists. But as always, what really counts is wearing pink on the final day. And Elisa, now riding for UAE Team ADQ, is fully intent on repeating her masterpiece from 2024. She’s built her season around this race, has just reclaimed the Italian national title, and if she’s anywhere near her form from last year, she’ll be tough to crack.
Lining up again is the rider who pushed her to the wire last July: world champion Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime), a rider who can potentially win on any terrain, from flat sprints to summit finishes. She’ll be joined by Anna van der Breggen, who, after three years away, looks like she never left the peloton. Knowing her, she’ll be laser-focused on matching Fabiana Luperini’s record of five overall Giro wins.
When the road tilts upward, the FDJ-SUEZ duo of Juliette Labous and Évita Muzic will be riders to watch. They may not win often, but they’re always in the mix, and both have already claimed stage wins at the Corsa Rosa in years past. Shaking them off the wheel will be no easy task. There’s also big anticipation around Marlen Reusser (Movistar), who’s becoming increasingly dangerous in stage races. She’s coming off a runner-up finish at the Vuelta a España and overall victories at both the Vuelta a Burgos and the Tour de Suisse.
Looking at the GC battle, let’s keep an eye on Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck), who finished fourth last year, along with teammate Yara Kastelijn. Also in the mix are Antonia Niedermaier (Canyon/SRAM zondacrypto), who placed sixth in 2024, the increasingly impressive Monica Trinca Colonel (Liv AlUla Jayco), Usoa Ostolaza (Laboral Kutxa – Fundación Euskadi), Shirin Van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek), Ashleigh Moolman (AG Insurance-Soudal), Barbara Malcotti (Human Powered Health); and Silvia Persico, Longo Borghini’s teammate at UAE Team ADQ, as well as Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility).
There’s plenty of firepower among the stage hunters too. Leading the charge is European champion and Sanremo Women winner Lorena Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime), alongside the legendary Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike), whose 32 Giro stage wins remain unmatched. And let’s not forget Chiara Consonni (Canyon/SRAM zondacrypto) and the all-rounder Liane Lippert (Movistar), both stage winners last year. In the opening time trial, and in the race for the first Maglia Rosa, watch out for Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek), Lieke Nooijen (Visma | Lease a Bike), and Christina Schweinberger (Fenix-Deceuninck).
Click here for the start order of the individual time trial of Sunday 6th July.
