What is the 'groundbreaking' Red Bull KM and how will it impact the 2025 Giro d'Italia and general classification battle?
Published 01/05/2025 at 10:44 GMT+1
The 2025 Giro d'Italia will feature a new addition called the Red Bull KM. The daily intermediate sprint will be on 19 of the 21 stages and will give riders the chance to earn bonus seconds that could prove crucial in the general classification battle. How does it work? Where will it be on different stages? And how could it impact the race standings?
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It’s being called a "groundbreaking new feature that's set to make a real impact on the overall standings" at the 2025 Giro d'Italia, but what exactly is the Red Bull KM?
The Giro starts on May 9 and the Red Bull KM will feature on 19 of the 21 stages.
There is also an "incredible surprise" in store for the final stage in Rome.
We run through all you need to know about the Red Bull KM, including how it works and how it could impact the general classification battle…
What is the Red Bull KM?
The Red Bull KM is a daily intermediate sprint that will feature on every stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia apart from the individual time trials on stages 2 and 10.
A Red Bull-branded kilometre will serve as the "gateway" to an intermediate sprint that will offer bonus seconds that count toward the general classification.
The winner of the intermediate sprint gets a six-second time bonus, second place gets four seconds, and third place gets two seconds.
"Since the Red Bull KM will be the only intermediate point of the race awarding bonus seconds for the overall standings - alongside the stage finish, where the winner gets a 10 seconds bonus - it will ignite fierce battles within the peloton," said Red Bull.
"The Red Bull KM, which is present on every road stage, will liven up the battle for the lead until the grand finale in Rome and will prove decisive if the gaps between the contenders for victory are narrow."
Red Bull added that for the final stage in Rome there will be "an incredible surprise for the entire group".
How could the Red Bull KM impact the Giro?
The Giro has featured a few close battles in recent years.
Since 2016, only four of the races have been decided by margins of over a minute, and three have been seen winning gaps of under 40 seconds.
In 2023, Primoz Roglic won by just 14 seconds after pipping Geraint Thomas on the final day.
Roglic will be seeking another Giro win this year and the bonus seconds from the Red Bull KM could prove crucial if there is a tight battle at the top.
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The race starts in Albania on May 9, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
"The Red Bull KM will motivate even more the teams to focus their strategies on breakaways and fight for the time bonuses," added Red Bull.
"At the same time, attackers and the main group will have an additional incentive to deliver excitement for fans watching the toughest race in the world, held in the most beautiful country."
When is the Red Bull KM?
The Red Bull KM will be positioned at different points on each stage.
On the opening stage from Durazzo to Tirana, it will be just 48km from the finish, while on Stage 9, it is 14km from the finish and at the top of a climb.
"Watch out in particular on the penultimate day of the Giro, when the battle for bonus points will be ignited on the dirt track 4.3km from the Colle delle Finestre GPM," said Red Bull.
On the final stage in Rome, the Red Bull KM will be 25km from the finish.
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