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Giro d Italia 2026 Route

The Giro d’Italia 2026 gets underway on 8 May with a historic Grande Partenza in Bulgaria and concludes on 31 May with the traditional finale in Rome. This year’s route promises an aggressive and unpredictable race, featuring explosive medium-mountain stages, demanding summit finishes, a long individual time trial and a brutal final week in the Alps and Dolomites. From the first sprint battles on the Black Sea coast to the decisive climbs of Blockhaus, Piani di Pezzè and Piancavallo, the 109th edition of the Giro offers opportunities for sprinters, attackers, climbers and GC contenders alike. Here’s a closer look at all 21 stages of the race.

Stage 1 Nessebar – Burgas

Stage 1 (Friday, 8 May, Nessebar – Burgas, 147 km | start: 13:50, finish around 17:15) will open the Giro d’Italia 2026 with a historic Grande Partenza in Bulgaria. The completely flat route along the Black Sea coast immediately points towards a controlled day for the sprint teams, although exposed sections of the course and possible crosswinds could play an important role. The profile offers no real selective difficulties, while the symbolic KOM points are included purely for classification purposes. A bunch sprint is expected to decide the stage victory, although the technical finale — featuring the last corner 300 metres before the line and a slightly rising finishing straight — will require excellent positioning. The main favourites for the stage are Jonathan Milan, Dylan Groenewegen, Paul Magnier and Tobias Lund Andresen.

Stage 2 Burgas – Veliko Tarnovo

Stage 2 (Saturday, 9 May, Burgas – Veliko Tarnovo, 221 km | start: 11:50, finish around 17:15) will take the peloton from the Black Sea coast into the more demanding, hilly terrain of central Bulgaria. After two long climbs in the middle part of the stage, the decisive point of the day should be the final ascent to Lyaskovets Monastery (3.9 km at an average gradient of 6.8%), whose summit comes just 11 kilometres before the finish. Following a technical descent, the riders will still face two cobbled sectors, including one on a 1-kilometre climb averaging 5.8%, which should effectively rule out the pure sprinters from the fight for victory. The stage is expected to end with a selective finish from a reduced group of puncheurs and GC contenders, while the demanding finale could provide a perfect opportunity in the battle for the maglia rosa for aggressive Italian riders such as Filippo Zana, Christian Scaroni, Giulio Ciccone and Andrea Vendrame.

Stage 3 Plovdiv – Sofia

Stage 3 (Sunday, 10 May, Plovdiv – Sofia, 175 km | start: 13:05, finish around 17:15) will be the final Bulgarian stage of the Giro d’Italia 2026 and is expected to end in a bunch sprint in the nation’s capital. The only significant obstacle of the day is the Borovec Pass (9.2 km at 5.4%), but with its summit located more than 70 kilometres from the finish, the sprint teams should have enough time to bring the peloton back together. A key factor could be the pace on the long descent and flat run-in towards Sofia — some sprinters may get dropped on the climb, while the finale could turn into a classic cat-and-mouse chase between the dropped riders and the fast men who survive the ascent. If it comes down to a sprint from a large group, the main favourites should include Paul Magnier, Tobias Lund Andresen and Kaden Groves.

Stage 4 Catanzaro – Cosenza

Stage 4 (Tuesday, 12 May, Catanzaro – Cosenza, 138 km | start: 13:40, finish around 17:15) will open the Italian part of the Giro d’Italia 2026 and should immediately deliver a more selective race. Although the first half of the stage follows flat roads along the Tyrrhenian coast, the key moment of the day will be the only major climb — 14.4 kilometres at an average gradient of 5.9% — with its summit located 43 kilometres from the finish. Unlike the previous stage, the climb is harder and positioned much closer to the finish, making a traditional bunch sprint highly unlikely. A strong breakaway or a reduced group formed on the climb could fight for the stage victory, while the day may also bring another change in the maglia rosa. The profile should suit aggressive climbers and puncheurs who are not among the main GC contenders.

Stage 5 Praia a Mare – Potenza

Stage 5 (Wednesday, 13 May, Praia a Mare – Potenza, 203 km | start: 12:15, finish around 17:15) will be the first truly demanding day of this year’s Giro, as the organisers have designed a highly selective route featuring more than 4,100 metres of elevation gain and terrain perfectly suited to aggressive racing. The stage begins uphill almost immediately, which should trigger an intense battle for the breakaway, while the key point of the race will be the Montagna Grande di Viggiano — 6.6 kilometres at an average gradient of 9.1% — after which the route remains at altitude for a long period, making it difficult to regain lost ground. The finale in Potenza is further complicated by a short 12% ramp and slightly rising final kilometres, making the stage ideal for strong climbers and long-range attackers, while full control from the GC teams appears less likely.

Stage 6 Paestum – Neapol

Stage 6 (Thursday, 14 May, Paestum – Naples, 142 km | start: 13:50, finish around 17:15) looks like a classic sprint stage on paper, although the technical finale in the centre of Naples should significantly increase the tension within the peloton. The route is almost completely flat and offers no terrain difficult enough to split the bunch, meaning the sprint teams should be able to control the race without major issues. However, the final kilometre will be crucial — after a long and fast run along the coast, the riders will enter a cobbled section averaging around 4%, followed by a U-turn with 400 metres remaining. The finish on Piazza del Plebiscito should favour more explosive and technically skilled sprinters who can handle chaotic finales and positioning battles. The main favourites for the stage include Jonathan Milan, Kaden Groves, Paul Magnier and Tobias Lund Andresen.

Stage 7 Formia – Blockhaus

Stage 7 (Friday, 15 May, Formia – Blockhaus, 244 km | start: 10:45, finish around 17:10) will be the first major test for the GC favourites and at the same time the longest stage of the entire Giro d’Italia 2026. After a relatively calm opening section, the peloton will enter the demanding mountain terrain of the Apennines, with the legendary final climb to Blockhaus set to decide the stage — 13.6 kilometres at an average gradient of 8.4%, with the final 10 kilometres averaging above 9%. In total, the riders will tackle around 4,600 metres of elevation gain, making this stage likely to produce the first major selection among the maglia rosa contenders. Due to the length and difficulty of the day, both a battle between the GC favourites and a strong breakaway scenario remain possible, although the profile clearly favours the best climbers in the race. The main contenders for victory should include Jonas Vingegaard, Giulio Pellizzari, Felix Gall and Enric Mas.

Stage 8 Chieti – Fermo

Stage 8 (Saturday, 16 May, Chieti – Fermo, 156 km | start: 13:15, finish around 17:15) promises to be one of the most nervous and unpredictable stages of the opening part of the Giro d’Italia 2026. Although the route along the Adriatic coast is almost completely flat at the start, the final 60 kilometres feature a succession of short, steep climbs and technical descents leading into a very demanding finish on the cobbled streets of Fermo’s old town. The final kilometres in particular could prove highly selective, with gradients exceeding 10%, including a brutal section at 14.3%. The stage could be a strong opportunity for the breakaway, although the flat opening should make it difficult for pure climbers targeting the stage to get clear, favouring instead stronger classics riders and versatile all-rounders capable of surviving the explosive finale. The profile suits riders such as Filippo Ganna, Magnus Sheffield, Michael Valgren, Simone Velasco and Christian Scaroni particularly well.

Stage 9 Cervia – Corno alle Scale

Stage 9 (Sunday, 17 May, Cervia – Corno alle Scale, 184 km) will be the final stage before the second rest day and features a classic unipuerto mountain finish at the Giro d’Italia 2026. For more than 150 kilometres the route remains almost completely flat, which should make the race relatively easy to control for teams targeting the stage victory, but the final climb to Corno alle Scale is highly irregular and becomes significantly steeper towards the top. The final 3 kilometres average more than 10%, with one section reaching 12.5%, creating ideal conditions for meaningful time gaps between the GC contenders. Due to the controllable nature of the stage before the finale, the route appears perfectly suited to a hard pace set by Team Visma | Lease a Bike and a late attack from Jonas Vingegaard on the steepest part of the climb.

Stage 10 Viareggio – Massa (ITT)

Stage 10 (Tuesday, 19 May, Viareggio – Massa, 42 km ITT | first rider starts at 13:15, last finish around 17:15) will be the only long individual time trial of the Giro d’Italia 2026 and at the same time one of the key stages for the general classification. The route along the Tyrrhenian coast is completely flat, extremely fast and technically straightforward, making it perfectly suited to pure time trial specialists capable of sustaining high power over a long distance. This is an ideal stage for Filippo Ganna, who has regularly dominated similar courses at Tirreno–Adriatico, although Jay Vine, Thymen Arensman and Rémi Cavagna should also be among the main contenders. The stage could also play a major role in the battle for the maglia rosa, as Jonas Vingegaard — clearly the strongest time trialist among the leading GC contenders — will have an excellent opportunity to extend his advantage in the overall standings.

Stage 11 Porcari – Chiavari

Stage 11 (Wednesday, 20 May, Porcari – Chiavari, 195 km | start: 12:20, finish around 17:15) will be a demanding medium-mountain stage from Tuscany to Liguria, with most of the difficulties concentrated in the second half of the day. After a relatively calm opening, the peloton will enter the short but demanding climbs of the Cinque Terre coastline, where the consecutive ascents of Colle di Guaitarola and Cogorno — whose summit comes 12 kilometres before the finish in Chiavari — should prove decisive. The profile appears too difficult for the pure sprinters, yet possibly not selective enough to trigger major attacks among the main GC contenders, making a breakaway victory a very realistic scenario. The stage should particularly suit strong climbers and versatile riders who excel on short, explosive climbs, such as Giulio Ciccone, Christian Scaroni, Jay Vine, Marc Soler, Lennert Van Eetvelt, Magnus Sheffield and Jan Christen.

Stage 12 Imperia – Novi Ligure

Stage 12 (Thursday, 21 May, Imperia – Novi Ligure, 175 km | start: 13:05, finish around 17:15) could turn out to be one of the most difficult stages to control during the second week of the Giro d’Italia 2026. Although the profile technically still offers an opportunity for the sprinters, the back-to-back climbs of Colle Giovo (11.4 km at 4.4%) and Bric Berton (5.5 km at 5.9%) should significantly stretch the peloton and make full control difficult for the sprint teams. More than 50 kilometres remain after the descents, but the rolling finale with short climbs and a slightly uphill finish favours a successful breakaway scenario. This stage looks ideal for strong classics riders, rouleurs and riders who excel in long-range attacks, such as Jasper Stuyven, Michael Valgren and Filippo Ganna.

Stage 13 Alessandria – Verbania

Stage 13 (Friday, 22 May, Alessandria – Verbania, 189 km | start: 12:40, finish around 17:15) follows flat roads for most of the day, but the final kilometres completely change the nature of the race. The closing climbs to Bieno and especially Ungiasca (4.7 km at 7.1%) should be enough to distance the pure sprinters and open the door for late attacks or a finish from a heavily reduced group. After the summit, more than 13 kilometres still remain, with a large part of that distance consisting of a fast descent, making the stage highly dynamic and tactical. Filippo Ganna should have extra motivation on this day, as he comes from Verbania and will face a finale perfectly suited to aggressive racing. The flat opening of the stage could make it difficult for pure climbers to enter the breakaway, favouring stronger and more powerful riders such as Ganna, who may use their strength on the flat to get into the move and still fight for victory despite the demanding uphill finale.

Stage 14 Aosta – Pila

Stage 14 (Saturday, 23 May, Aosta – Pila, 133 km | start: 12:55, finish around 17:15) will be a short but extremely demanding mountain stage raced almost entirely on the roads of the Aosta Valley. The organisers have packed in more than 4,300 metres of elevation gain and a succession of long climbs, including Saint-Barthélemy, Doues, Lin Noir and Verrogne, before the race finishes with the ascent to the ski resort of Pila (16.5 km at 7.1%). Despite the very hard overall profile, the final climb is not brutally steep, which could make the stage ideal terrain for a strong breakaway and riders targeting the mountains classification. The route should particularly suit aggressive climbers such as Giulio Ciccone, Einer Rubio, Chris Harper and Michael Storer, who could use the selective profile to fight for the stage victory from the breakaway.

Stage 15 Voghera – Mediolan

Stage 15 (Sunday, 24 May, Voghera – Milan, 157 km | start: 13:40, finish around 17:15) will be one of the easiest stages of the entire Giro d’Italia 2026 and from the very start points towards a classic bunch sprint. The profile is completely flat, with less than 200 metres of elevation gain, meaning the sprint teams should have little trouble controlling the race all the way to the finishing laps in the centre of Milan. It is one of the few pure opportunities for the fastest riders in the peloton, who after several demanding stages will finally get ideal conditions to fight for victory.

Stage 16 Bellinzona – Carì

Stage 16 (Tuesday, 26 May, Bellinzona – Carì, 113 km | start: 13:45, finish around 17:15), coming immediately after the rest day, will be a short but intense mountain stage held on Swiss roads. Despite being only 113 kilometres long, the organisers have included around 3,000 metres of elevation gain and a demanding final climb to Carì — 11.7 kilometres at an average gradient of 7.9%. Due to the compact nature of the stage and the relatively controllable profile before the finale, the day should favour the teams targeting the general classification. If Team Visma | Lease a Bike decides to set a hard pace, the stage could end in a direct showdown between the GC favourites on the final climb. The route appears particularly well suited to Jonas Vingegaard, who could use the steady nature of the ascent to launch another attack on his rivals in the overall standings.

Stage 17 Cassano d'Adda – Andalo

Stage 17 (Wednesday, 27 May, Cassano d'Adda – Andalo, 202 km | start: 12:10, finish around 17:15) will be a long and demanding stage featuring a classic irregular mountain profile with more than 3,300 metres of elevation gain. Although the route includes several climbs, none of them appear difficult enough to trigger major attacks among the main GC contenders, making the stage highly favourable for the breakaway. The rolling nature of the race and the long, demanding finale around Andalo should suit versatile riders, strong classics specialists and rouleurs capable of managing their effort well on difficult terrain. It is an ideal profile for aggressive riders searching for an opportunity from the breakaway, especially those who excel on long and exhausting stages.

Stage 18 Fai della Paganella – Pieve di Soligo

Stage 18 (Thursday, 28 May, Fai della Paganella – Pieve di Soligo, 171 km | start: 13:15, finish around 17:15) looks for most of the day like a classic opportunity for the sprinters, but once again the Giro d’Italia 2026 organisers have designed a finale capable of making life extremely difficult for the fastest riders in the peloton. The route is rolling throughout, although the decisive moment should come less than 10 kilometres before the finish with the famous Muro di Ca’ del Poggio — 1.1 kilometres at an average gradient of 12.3%. Such a steep climb could completely break apart the sprint trains and create ideal conditions for late attacks or a successful breakaway. Given the nature of the stage, a battle for victory between puncheurs, classics specialists and riders from the breakaway appears highly likely, while the pure sprinters may once again struggle to survive the final selection.

Stage 19 Feltre – Piani di Pezzè

Stage 19 (Friday, 29 May, Feltre – Piani di Pezzè, 151 km | start: 12:30, finish around 17:15) will likely be the toughest stage of the entire Giro d’Italia 2026 and the opening part of the decisive mountain weekend in the Dolomites. The organisers have included no less than 5,000 metres of elevation gain and a sequence of legendary climbs — Passo Duran, Staulanza, Giau and Falzarego — before the race finishes with a brutally steep ascent to Piani di Pezzè (5 km at 9.8%). The stage should trigger a major battle both for the mountains classification and for the podium positions in the general classification, especially if some teams are forced into aggressive all-in tactics during the final mountain stages of the race. The profile is perfectly suited to the strongest climbers and overall contenders, while Jonas Vingegaard, supported by Team Visma | Lease a Bike, should be in a particularly strong position ahead of the decisive finale.

Stage 20 Gemona del Friuli – Piancavallo

Stage 20 (Saturday, 30 May, Gemona del Friuli – Piancavallo, 200 km | start: 10:45, finish around 16:00) will be the final mountain opportunity to change the outcome of the Giro d’Italia 2026 and a stage that could definitively decide the battle for the maglia rosa. Although the first part of the day follows relatively easy roads, the decisive element will be the double ascent of Piancavallo — 14.5 kilometres at an average gradient of 7.8%, with the opening kilometres regularly exceeding 9%. The profile encourages aggressive racing already on the first passage of the climb, especially if the gaps in the general classification remain small after the stage to Piani di Pezzè. If the GC situation is more settled, a stage battle between strong climbers from the breakaway and riders whose overall ambitions have already faded becomes a very realistic scenario. Regardless of the standings, this will be one of the most important and demanding days of the entire race.

Stage 21 Rome – Rome

Stage 21 (Sunday, 31 May, Rome – Rome, 131 km | start: 15:50, finish around 18:45) will traditionally bring the Giro d’Italia to a close with a flat stage through the streets of the Italian capital. After a relaxed ride towards Lido di Ostia, the peloton will return to the centre of Rome, where the riders will complete eight laps on wide and fast city roads. The final day of the race should mainly have a celebratory atmosphere for the overall winner, while the sporting action will focus on the bunch sprint. It is one of the final and purest opportunities for the fastest riders in the peloton, so a fully controlled stage by the sprint teams and a classic high-speed finish through the streets of the Eternal City can be expected.

At the start, there will be 184 riders from 23 WorldTour and ProTeam teams - Official Startlist