LIVE stage 21 Giro d’Italia 2025| A quick wave to the Pope, then full speed sprint to the Colosseum

To make the final stage in Rome possible, the entire Giro caravan will be flown from the far northwest corner of Italy (Sestriere) to the nation’s capital. Rome holds a contract with RCS Sport to host the finale, and from a broadcast perspective, it is easy to see why. A finish near the Colosseum is simply spectacular, and the city itself is a living canvas for the peloton to race through.

This year brings an added touch. During the neutral roll-out, the riders will pass through Vatican City, where the newly appointed Pope Leo XIV will be on hand to greet the peloton. After the ceremonial wave, the official start is set for 15:25, with a 143-kilometer day ahead.

After 67.5 kilometers, the peloton will cross the finish line for the first time, followed by eight laps of a technical 10-kilometer circuit. It is a course full of twists and turns, with stretches of ancient cobbles mixed with smooth asphalt, and it will all lead to a sprint on the Via del Circo Massimo. The stage winner, along with the other jersey winners, will take to the podium with the Colosseum as their backdrop.

Times
Start: 3:25 PM local time (09:25 AM EDT)
Finish: around 6:45 PM local time (12:45 PM EDT)

It will be hot and humid on the final day of the Giro, with temperatures climbing above 30 degrees Celsius. There will be little to no wind, so staying cool and well-hydrated will be key before the riders head for the final showdown.

While several sprinters have left the race, plenty of fast men survived the mountains and will be eager to contest the final sprint in Rome. And they will not want to pass up this opportunity. First on the list is Olav Kooij (Visma Lease a Bike). The Dutchman struggled a bit in the opening half of the race but delivered in stage 12, thanks in part to a brilliant lead-out from Wout van Aert. If the team executes as smoothly on the streets of Rome, Kooij will be very hard to beat.

But the Dutchman can expect strong opposition from Alpecin Deceuninck, who will be looking to launch Kaden Groves with their powerful sprint train. Like Kooij, the Australian already has a stage win to his name. While Kooij may have the edge on pure speed, Groves will likely have more lead-out support.

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Dutch fans will also have their eyes on Casper van Uden (Picnic PostNL) and Maikel Zijlaard (Tudor). Van Uden announced himself with a breakthrough win in the first bunch sprint, proving it was no fluke with a strong second place on stage 12. Zijlaard, typically a lead-out man, is the designated sprinter for his team in this Giro. While he may lack the raw speed of the pure sprinters, his excellent positioning has already earned him a fine third place on stage four.

And no Giro stage seems to pass without Mads Pedersen making his presence known. The Lidl Trek rider has already claimed an impressive four stage wins and has worked tirelessly for his teammates in the tougher stages. Though he may lack a touch of top-end speed compared to Kooij and Groves, expect to see him once again in his purple points jersey. With a bit of luck, a fifth victory is certainly not out of the question.

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Sam Bennett was once the sprint king of the Giro, but those days date back to 2018, when the Irishman won three stages. These days, Bennett struggles to compete at the very highest level. He only managed a sixth place in the first sprint stage this year. Italian hopes rest with Matteo Moschetti, but like Bennett, he has not made much of an impact in the sprints so far. Can he turn that around on the final day?

Intermarché Wanty will look to fast finisher Gerben Thijssen. The Belgian produces flashes of brilliance each season, but Grand Tours have often proven tricky for him, and this Giro has been no exception. Max Kanter is the designated sprinter for XDS Astana, while Movistar will aim to position Orluis Aular for the finale. The Venezuelan has already sprinted to four top-five finishes in recent weeks but generally fares better on slightly tougher finishes.

Top favorites:Olav Kooij (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Outsiders:Casper van Uden (Picnic-PostNL), Sam Bennett (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Maikel Zijlaard (Tudor), Matteo Moschetti (Q36.5) and Max Kanter (XDS Astana)
Long shots: Gerben Thijssen (Intermarché-Wanty), Ben Turner (INEOS Grenadiers), Corbin Strong (Israel-Premier Tech), Orluis Aular (Movistar), Giovanni Lonardi (Polti), Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Rick Pluimers (Tudor)