The 2025 Giro d’Italia Women opens with a 14.2km time trial on the streets of Bergamo, setting the early tone for the GC battle across the eight-day race. With a mix of flat straights, tight corners and short uphill segments, this technical opener is more than just a drag race – it’s one for the riders who can handle their bike as well as they can produce power.
The historic city centre and the climb past the Città Alta will add both spectacle and complexity. The descent to the line at Sentierone is quick, and mistakes could prove costly in a race where time gaps may already emerge among the overall contenders.
GC on the line from day one
All eyes will be on the early time gaps. Defending champion Elisa Longo Borghini starts with confidence and home support, but faces fierce opposition from some of the best time triallists in the world. Marlen Reusser lines up as the outright favourite, riding her first Giro d’Italia for Movistar, and comes in fresh from victories in both the Swiss Championships and the Vuelta a Burgos time trial.
Reusser made it clear that this opening stage has been a long-term target, saying, “With Movistar, from the beginning of the year, we said that because the Giro has both a time trial and pretty hard climbing stages, it’s for sure something we should tackle with me.”
She isn’t concerned about what others will do, focusing instead on her own pacing and rhythm: “For the time trials, I focus on myself. There is no use thinking about others because it just has no point at all.”
Among those trying to stop her are four-time overall winner Anna van der Breggen, returning for one final GC tilt, and her SD Worx-Protime teammate Lotte Kopecky, who has steadily improved against the clock. Anna Henderson, Juliette Labous, and Christina Schweinberger are also expected to post strong times.
Reusser is pleased with the parcours: “I also like the type of time trial it is because it’s short, and it has a lot of distractions. It has a lot of technical aspects. It’s really, really interesting; you will not be bored at any point at all.”
What’s on offer
Date: Sunday, 6th July
Distance: 14.2km
Start/Finish: Bergamo – Bergamo
Terrain: Flat to undulating, with technical corners and a short climb
Stage type: Individual time trial
Bonuses: Time gaps only – no bonus seconds awarded in time trials
Giro d’Italia Women Stage 1 Prediction
Marlen Reusser starts the Giro d’Italia Women as the rider to beat and is perfectly suited to this short, technical opener. Her form has been consistently high, and her recent wins back that up. While rivals like Van der Breggen, Kopecky and Labous could get close, Reusser remains the most likely rider to take both the stage and the maglia rosa.
