What is the Red Bull Km?

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What is the Red Bull Km?

In 19 of the 21 stages of the 108th edition of the Giro d’Italia, a particular kilometer of the route, indicated by the Branding Red Bull, will serve as a “access door” to the only intermediate sprint counting for the general classification: the first three to cross the exit door of this kilometer will obtain bonuses of 6, 4 and 2 seconds, respectively.

Since this Red Bull Km will represent the only intermediate phase of the race where seconds of bonus will be allocated for the general classification – in addition to those granted at the arrival of each stage (where the winner wins 10 seconds) – his passage should ignite the battle within the peloton.

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How the Red Bull Km will change the Giro of Italia

The Red Bull Km introduces an exciting novelty in the Italia 2025 Giro, with up to six seconds of bonuses available on each online stage.

The bonus race will be focused from the first stages in Albania, where the classification will necessarily be short. The Red Bull Km, present in each stage, will lead the struggle for the race to the Grand Final in Rome. A few seconds can change everything, as in 1948, when the Giro played at the near 11 seconds, and thwart the forecasts.

Thanks to the Red Bull Km, the teams in the running will be more motivated to win the precious bonuses involved. At the same time, the attackers and the peloton will have an additional reason to offer a spectacle to fans of the most difficult race in the world in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. And for the grand finale in Rome, in the eternal city, where the best will lift the Trofeo Senza fine (endless trophy), Red Bull will reserve an incredible surprise from the whole caravan.

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Where will the Red Bull km be located?

In all the stages of the Giro of Italia 2025, with the exception of time trials, an intermediate sprint will count as Red Bull Km, placed at a specific point of the route (see the table below, editor’s note), where the runners will have to redouble alert. Particular attention will be paid to the penultimate day of racing, when the battle for the seconds of bonus will ignite on a section of gravel, 4.3 km from the summit of glue of fine. Before the final parade in Rome, that’s where the precious pink jersey could be played.

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Bonifications will have an impact on the general classification

The suspense will be at the rendezvous from the first stages in Albania and in the south of Italy, while the general classification will be naturally very tight, allowing runners and sprinters to dream of the leader jersey before the road begins to rise during the 7th day of racing. Present at each stage, the Red Bull km will energize the fight for the top of the classification to the Grand Final in Rome, and could prove to be decisive if the gaps between the contenders for the final victory are minimal, as was the case recently on the Volta A Catalunya, where the Slovenian Primož Roglič, leader of the Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe and already winner of the Giro in 2023 Imposed with only 28 seconds ahead of Juan Ayuso, after addressing the penultimate stage with a delay of barely a second on the young Spanish.

About this great novelty, we collected the opinion of Vincenzo Nibali, winner of the Giro d’Italia in 2013 and 2016, considered one of the most complete and talented champions of all time. This 40 -year -old Sicilian is one of the seven cycling legends that won the three large towers at least once in their career: he has indeed won the Vuelta a España in 2010, the Tour de France in 2014, and also finished seven times on the Giro, Tour or Vuelta podium. Nicknamed “Lo Squalo” (the shark), in reference to his origins and his offensive style, he is also one of the only four runners in history-with Merckx, Hinault and Gimondi-to have won the three big towers and at least two classic monuments: the Tour de Lombardy in 2015 and 2017, and Milan-San Remo in 2018. Point the Red Bull Km could influence the general classification of the Giro d’Italia.

“It is difficult to make forecasts, because today’s cycling is different from mine, that of only a few years ago. It is much more interesting and unpredictable. This novelty deserves to be tested, like all the others; It seems attractive to me and could add a little spice to the fight for the pink jersey, “begins the one who remains the last Italian to have won it. “There will be those who will seek to grab the most seconds of bonus as possible, and others who will do everything so that they do not have too much impact on the classification, leaving more free fields to the escapes. In the end, it is always the runners who “race”, and according to what will seem advantageous to them, they will act accordingly so that these bonuses have a weight or not in the general classification. I remember the Giro won by Ryder Hesjedal during the last time trial in front of Purito Rodriguez: in a final of this kind, 6 seconds per stage could have tipped the balance. But if in the mountains the gaps amount in minutes, then it’s a whole different story. »»

“The Red Bull Km could reduce the gap in the standings and make the race even more spectacular, it will depend on how runners will use it and the differences generated by the most difficult stages. My favorite for the pink jersey is Primož Roglič, but these sprints can benefit the captain of Team Q36.5, Tom Pidcock, who is very explosive, “predicts Nibali, ambassador of the Swiss clothing brand who appointed the Olympic mountain bike champion as the leader for the Giro. “Those who suffer during sprints, like Antonio Tiberi, will have to be careful and look for alternatives, but if I was in his place, I would not worry too much because in three weeks, he will have enough drop to prove his value. I would not have desperate if Valverde or Rodriguez had regularly defeated me in sprints, I would have found a solution, using the skills of my faster teammates, and by distant my rivals in the mountains. »»

The show for the many fans present by the road and glued to their TV is about to start. Red Bull is ready to give wings to the Italia Giro and tell you like never before. Stay connected.