The Giro d’Italia is wrapping up its 108th edition with a unique tribute. The final stage will start at the Vatican City and finish 143 kilometers later at Rome’s Circus Maximus, near the Colosseum.
A Special Tribute
Giro director Mauro Vegni explained that the decision to start the final stage at the Vatican was inspired by Pope Francis’ wishes. “The departure from the Vatican, desired by Francis in the year of the Jubilee, adds special emotion to this stage,” Vegni said. The Jubilee is a major religious pilgrimage event held in Rome every 25 years, and this year’s Giro coincides with it.
A Meaningful Route
Roberto Gualtieri, the Mayor of Rome, emphasized that Pope Francis’ passing made the decision to include the Vatican in the final stage even more meaningful. “This year is particularly important because it takes on another value,” Gualtieri said. “For the Jubilee, we had thought of passing through Vatican City. Now, with the departure, it will be a great tribute to a great Pope who we all loved. It’s a beautiful route with different renovated places that will also show the world the new face of the city.”
The 2025 Giro d’Italia kicks off on May 9 in the Albanian city of Durrës and concludes on June 1 in Rome.