Giro d'Italia 2025 - 20th stage: A mixed bag: Harper wins, Yates in pink
Sandra Schuberth
· 31.05.2025
The highlight of today's stage of the Giro d'Italia was the Colle delle Finestre, which at 2178 metres is the highest point of the Giro d'Italia 2025. At the highest point of the Tour of Italy, the "Cima Coppi" is awarded every year to the rider who reaches it first. The 18.5-kilometre climb has an average gradient of 9.2 per cent with 14 per cent ramps. After 9 kilometres, the road surface changes from asphalt to gravel.
The cards have been reshuffled
Few would have expected this. On the day before the finale, Simon Yates made up minutes and took the lead in the overall classification. His team-mate Wout van Aert, who rode in the leading group for a long time and waited for Yates after the Colle delle Finestre, certainly played a part in this. He was able to pull Yates for a good 10 kilometres until he let him go. Meanwhile, the leader had a safe gap.
Giro d'Italia 2025 - Results of the 19th stage
Stage 20: Verrès - Sestrière (Vialattea)
Giro d'Italia 2025: Stage 20, Verrès - Sestrière (Vialattea)
| Rnk. | Riders | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Team Jayco AlUla | 05:27:29 |
| 2 | Arkéa - B&B Hotels | +00:01:49 |
| 3 | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | +00:01:57 |
| 4 | Soudal Quick-Step | +00:03:52 |
| 5 | Groupama - FDJ | +00:03:57 |
| 6 | VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè | +00:04:31 |
This is how the 20th stage of the Giro d'Italia 2025 went
It was rather quiet up to the Colle delle Finestre. A group of 31 riders was able to break away early on and stayed together for the most part, while the gap to the peloton grew to 10 minutes. This came to an end at Colle delle Finestre. The leading group fell apart while the peloton attacked. The leaders in the overall classification rode together for a short time until Simon Yates (Visma | Lease a Bike) started. Neither Carapaz nor del Toro were able to keep up. Yates extended his lead and soon virtually took over the pink jersey. After the highest point of this year's Giro, his team-mate Wout van Aert was waiting for Yates. Now they could work together.
Meanwhile, Chris Harper (Team Jayco AlUla) and Alessandro Verre (Arkéa - B&B Hotels) battled it out for the win. Harper was able to take the lead on the Red Bull kilometre and extend the gap to second-placed Alessandro Verre to 1:49 minutes. A safe stage win for the Australian.
Second place was not quite so certain, as Simon Yates came closer and closer. Verre was within touching distance just before the finish line. Only eight seconds lay between second and third place.
In the overall classification, Yates now has a lead of 3:56 minutes over Isaac del Toro. That could mean victory on tomorrow's final stage.
Sandra Schuberth
Editor
