Final mountain stage of Giro d'Italia reportedly at risk because of heavy snowfalls in Alps

There is still just over a month to go before the Giro d'Italia reaches the most notable climb of the entire race, but a weather report in Italy suggests that it may be touch and go if the Giro can actually cross the key Colle delle Finestre pass because of recent heavy snowfalls.

The Finestre is considered the toughest single pass of the entire 2025 Giro and is due to be crossed on stage 20 on May 31 as part of a 203km ultra-mountainous trek through the Alps from Verres to Sestrière with 4,700 metres of vertical climbing.

First tackled in 2005, the Finestre's most memorable appearance of four to date in the Giro came in 2018 when it formed a crucial element in Chris Froome's long-distance breakaway to overall victory.

According to ilmeteo 30-40cm of snow has fallen in the last few days, and it could still be blocking the Finestre in five weeks' time.

The Finestre, which has both tarmacked and gravel sections on its ascent, peaks out 2,178 metres above sea level and is the Cima Coppi – the highest point – of the 2025 Giro d'Italia. Whoever is in pink at the end of the stage, which finishes in Sestrière after a fast descent and a simple third-category climb to a summit finish, is all but guaranteed to win in Rome 24 hours later.

According to ilmeteo, fresh falls have added to the thick layer of snow already present in the area, with an average height of 150-160cm at 2,000 metres above sea level. Daytime temperatures are currently rising to around 9- 10°C during the day and helping the snow to melt, but with night temperatures of -2°C, the process is a very slow one. 

Furthermore, the gravel road surfaces on the Finestre would not be as quick to melt the snow as tarmac.

A definitive decision is yet to be taken, but any enforced route change because of poor weather would be anything but unprecedented in the Giro.

Last year alone, there were last-minute changes and near chaos on stage 16 when the race was due to leave Livigno because of bad weather, with the stage reduced drastically in scale and significance to just 118 kilometres, but a quick glance at any Giro history book shows plenty more in the past.

In other Giro route news, organisers RCS have indicated that the final stage, which will see the race pass through the Vatican for the first time in its history before it arrives at Rome, will act as a homage to Pope Francis, who died on April 21 aged 88.

"It will be a very special moment following the death of Pope Francis, something which has affected all of us deeply," Umberto Cairo, RCS president, said in a press conference earlier this week.

The route of stage 21 of the Giro will pass through the Vatican gardens, returning to Italy by the Porta Perugia and then running alongside the River Tiber before the usual finish in Rome.

"The negotiations have not been straightforward, but Pope Francis' enthusiasm for this project opened the doors to its happening," a Vatican spokesman stated in declarations reported by AFP.

The inclusion of the Vatican in the final 143km stage, very likely to end in a bunch sprint as in previous editions, was initially planned as part of the Jubilee celebrations, something which take place every 25 years. 

"Pope Francis was greatly interested in sport, and this is a way of honouring his memory, but also to remind the new Pope to remain close to reality and the importance of the connections between the Church and sport."