From Durazzo to Tirana: the route and where to watch it on TV | All about the Giro

DURRES – The Giro d’Italia 2025 opens with a very interesting stage, with an open ending. From Durres to Tirana the riders will encounter above all the Gracen climb and twice that of Surrel. If the sprinters want to chase the first pink jersey, they will have to sweat for it.

The route

After the official start of the Giro from Durazzo , the riders will head south, along substantially flat roads that will take them towards the Albanian hinterland. After the first intermediate sprint (but without time bonuses), placed in Paper after 57 km from the start, it will take another 10 km to pass through Elbasan (second intermediate sprint): shortly after, the second category Mountain Grand Prix of Gracen will begin (13 km at 5.1%, peaks at 10%). A long descent will take the riders towards Tirana: in Sauk there will be the Red Bull km, a special finish line with bonuses for the general classification (6”, 4”, 2”). Shortly after, there will be the entry into the final circuit and the first of two climbs to Surrel (6.9 km at 4.6%, but also peaks at 13%). After the first climb, a 12 km descent will take the group under the finish banner for the first time: at that point there will be 22 km to go. The circuit will be repeated a second and final time with a new climb on the same side of Surrel, which will culminate 11.2 km from the finish line, and then a new descent towards the finish line in Tirana, where the first pink jersey will be awarded.