The Giro d’Italia enters its third country on Stage 14, crossing into Slovenia. That is, of course, the homeland of the last two Giro champions, Tadej Pogačar (2024) and Primož Roglič (2023). The peloton will reach Slovenian soil around the 140-km mark in this 195-km stage from Treviso to the border city of Nova Gorica/Gorizia.

It’s a symbolic visit as much as a strategic one. Treviso is making its 14th appearance in Giro history, but it hasn’t hosted a stage since 2019. The finish line in Nova Gorica/Gorizia marks the sixth Giro finish in the area and the first since 2021. Though the race crosses into Slovenia, the finish will come on the Italian side of the border.

After starting this year’s Corsa Rosa in Albania, the Giro returned to Italy—and now briefly detours through Slovenia before circling back again.

The profile is largely flat in the early kilometres, but the final third of the stage offers more resistance. Once across the border, the terrain becomes more demanding. A mid-stage climb reaches gradients above 5 per cent, followed by a punchy finishing circuit that must be completed twice. Each lap features the Saver climb: 600 metres at an average gradient of 6.4 per cent.

The summit of the final Saver ascent comes just 7.5 kilometres from the finish, leaving the door open for late attacks—or a regrouping and reduced sprint in the closing straight.

At 195 kilometres, Stage 14 offers a mix of symbolism, scenery and subtle difficulty. A flat start, a Slovenian middle, and a nervy, hilly finale—this borderland stage could go to a breakaway or a puncheur bold enough to strike late.

Stage 13 was a doozy. Mads Pedersen took his fourth stage win of the 2025 Giro d’Italia on winning the uphill sprint in Vicenza ahead of Wout van Aert. Isaac Del Toro finished third and extended his lead in the general classification. Derek Gee placed eighth, his best result of the race so far, and moved into the GC top 10 after securing his second top-10 finish in three days. How many more stages can the dane take?

You can watch the race on FloBikes.com, or follow our coverage on Canadian Cycling Magazine. Look for a report and analysis as soon as the stage is over. Forza ragazzi!