The first real test for the general classification at the 2025 Giro d’Italia will come in Stage 7, a 168 km route from Castel di Sangro to Tagliacozzo. The opening three stages in Albania, tricky to say the least, may have given us a glimpse of the main contenders, but the first summit finish always marks a key turning point – key a moment to find out who’s really in the fight and who’ll be forced to chase. Some riders may have eased into the Giro, planning to peak in the brutal third week, and for them, Tagliacozzo will boil down damage control. Others may seize on the uncertainty and tactics typical of an early mountain finish to grab some precious seconds on their rivals.
By Stage 7, the peloton will have endured six days of tense, tightly contested racing, broken only by the transfer and rest day after Albania, and the GC gaps are likely to be slim. The climb to Tagliacozzo is expected to start sorting out the pecking order of this Giro, though don’t rule out the chance of a breakaway making it all the way to the end. That’s something we’ve seen quite often in recent editions of the Corsa Rosa during the first summit finish – a surprise name conquering the Maglia Rosa by day’s end.
That said, the top contenders will still have to battle it out on the slopes of this Abruzzo climb. Overall stats don’t sound too scary – 12.6 km at 5.4% average – but the numbers hide a brutal sting in the tail: the final ramp to the finish at Marsia. The last 2.6 km pitch up at a punishing 9.1% average. Even if the earlier parts of the climb are quiet, that finale is guaranteed to spark some action. If anyone has an off day, even just 2,600 meters at that gradient can come at a heavy cost.
The stage itself is far from straightforward, featuring a total of 3,500 meters of elevation gain and three categorized KOMs before the final showdown. Right from the get-go, the riders will tackle the ascent to Roccaraso (cat. 3, 7.4 km at 6.1%), which returns to the Giro for the seventh time, just two years after its last appearance. At kilometer 65, the peloton will face the tough Monte Urano (cat. 2, 4.5 km at 9.3%), followed by the long but more manageable Vado della Forcella (cat. 2, 21.6 km at 3.6%). From there, just over 60 kilometers remain. The athletes will descend to Magliano de’ Marsi, roll through Scurcola Marsicana, and finally hit the base of the eagerly awaited climb from Tagliacozzo.
