Giro d'Italia Women 2025 stage 7 preview - All to play for as GC front runners take on queen stage to Monte Nerone

The most significant GC-deciding moment is here with the peloton ready to tackle the queen stage 7, and a third and final summit finish at 1,395 metres atop the daunting Monte Nerone at the Giro d'Italia.

This climb might not be as well known as the Mortirolo, Zoncolan or Blockhaus previously featured in the Giro d'Italia, but the category 1 ascent promises to be a leg-breaking ascent and a worthy centre-piece of this edition of the Italian Grand Tour.

With two mountain stages already complete at Aprica and Pianezze (Valdobbiadene), Marlen Reusser (Movistar Team) currently leads the overall GC standings by 16 seconds ahead of Elisa Longo Borghini (UAE Team ADQ).

"I think we’ll see that battle again in the next two stages because she’s in great form — and so am I. I know tomorrow’s climb; I reconned it before Strade Bianche, so hopefully that gives me an advantage," Reusser said she anticipates her main battle for the maglia rosa to come from defending champion Longo Borghini.

Four-time overall winner Anna Van der Breggen (Team SD Worx-Protime) is also in the running, positioned third place overall at 1:53. Further back are Pauliena Rooijakkers (Fenix-Deceuninck) at 2:02 and Katrine Aalerud (Uno-X Mobility) at 2:07.

All five riders have a shot at winning the overall title at this Giro d'Italia, but the rider who stands out with the most to gain is Australia's Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal). She is currently in sixth place overall at 2:16 but has proven to be the strongest climber at this edition of the Italian Grand Tour.

Gigante won the summit to Pianezze on stage 4, the biggest victory of her career, where she moved into third overall, and while she lost three places in the intervening stages, she is still going to be the rider to beat on Monte Nerone.

It will be AG Insurance-Soudal's responsibility to support Gigante on the roads to the final climb, while largely Movistar's responsibility to try and contain the pure climber as much as possible on the 8km ascent to the finish line.

Reusser has proven to be a powerful climber this year, winning Vuelta a Burgos and Tour de Suisse and has made this stage race one of her biggest targets of the year, outside of the upcoming Tour de France, so she will be well-prepared for this final showdown in the mountains.

There is no discounting Van der Breggen, however, as the four-time champion has her sights set on a record-tying fifth win. It has been a turbulent race for SD Worx-Protime, and while Lorena Wiebes has won two stages, Lotte Kopecky was forced to pull out of the race due to back pain, and Van der Breggen has been struggling to stay with the top climbers in the mountains.

She will rely heavily on her experience as a Grand Tour winner, and with support from her remaining teammates. The race isn't only down to the final summit, and she could pick her moments to shine on the three preceding ascents: Moria (category 2), Passo La Croce (category 3) and La Forchetta (category 2), before a hilly route to the lower slopes of Monte Nerone.

Rooijakkers will also be one to watch, as she demonstrated her strengths and tactical experience when finishing third overall at the Tour de France. She has a powerful support rider in Yara Kastajin, and the duo could overtake in the general classification on the challenging stage 7.

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On a technical side, stage 7 will offer the field a 150km race from Fermignano to Monte Nerone, delivering 15.2 kilometres of sustained gradients between 7% and 10% and in the final kilometres pitches reach up to 12%.

The route begins on rolling terrain, climbing the lower slopes of Monte Nerone to Pian di Trebbio, before descending toward Pianello.

The riders will tackle a succession of climbs to Moria, Passo la Croce, Valico di Sitria and Valico di Croce Avellana.

And then the final stretch includes climbs to Frontone, Cagli and Secchiano, with the last 8km averaging over 8% to the finish at Monte Nerone.