Giro 2025 Route stage 6: Potenza

Giro 2025 Route stage 6: Potenza - Naples

Slideshow 1/5

Thursday, 15 May – Stage 6 of the Giro d’Italia takes the riders on a 226-kilometre journey from Potenza to Naples. The first 140 kilometres feature lumpy terrain, but as the race progresses, the flatlands take over.

The Giro last visited Potenza three years ago, with Koen Bouwman taking the win after a gripping hilly stage. This time, the capital city of the province with the same name hosts a stage start. The riders head towards Naples, and the early kilometres are far from flat. The route climbs from the start, although the gradients are gentle. A long descent follows, leading onto the Valico di Monte Carruozzo – a 19.9-kilometre climb at 3.8%, an average skewed by a flat section halfway up.

After the descent, the route continues on undulating terrain until the climb to Monteforte Irpino starts out as a false flat before ending on a 3.8-kilometre stretch 4.6%. At the summit, there are still 82 kilometres remaining. A gradual descent transitions into flat roads, and for the rest of the day it’s smooth sailing all the way to the finish line.

After a relatively long hiatus, Naples and the Giro have rekindled their love affair over the past three years. Last year, Olav Kooij claimed his first Grand Tour stage win here, outsprinting Jonathan Milan and Sebastián Molano. In 2023, Mads Pedersen triumphed in a sprint finish, while Thomas De Gendt completed a successful breakaway in 2022.

In earlier years, riders like Mark Cavendish, Mario Cipollini, and Rik van Steenbergen also celebrated victories on the streets of Naples. In total, the city has hosted a Giro stage finish 46 times.