Giro d'Italia 2026 Stages Preview | Discover every stage of the first Grand Tour of the year!

Wednesday, 29 April 2026 at 08:49

The first Grand Tour of 2026 is almost here: the Giro d'Italia. After Albania, RCS have again chosen an unusual starting country with Bulgaria. But as the saying goes: all roads lead to Rome. There will be plenty of altitude gain and obstacles along the way — and IDL Pro Cycling has it all mapped out for you.

The Grande Partenza takes place in Bulgaria. The opening stage looks set to go to the sprinters, given its very flat character. Stage two should suit the punchers, meaning the pink jersey could already change shoulders before the race reaches Italy.

After a third stage in Bulgaria — again one for the sprinters — the Giro circus flies south to Italy. A first rest day on Monday is followed by a resumption on Tuesday. Week one will test the riders immediately, with several uphill finishes and the traditional stage to Naples.

Week 2: long time trial; week 3: relentless climbing

Week two opens with a crucial day for the general classification: a lengthy time trial of 40 kilometres. Despite this Giro featuring only one time trial, its length will appeal to the specialists. As well as two sprint stages, stage 14 stands out: a serious mountain stage in the Aosta valley. The following day returns to sprinting in Milan.

The Giro would not be the Giro without a brutal final week. Week three brings three summit finishes, plus two stages in between where the road constantly undulates. Stage 21, the final stage, is traditionally held in Rome, giving the fast men who made it to Rome one last chance.

You can read our guide to the 2026 Giro d'Italia GC favourites here, and see our pick for each stage winner below.

Stage-by-stage guide — Giro d'Italia 2026

Stage 1 — Friday 8 May: Nessebar–Burgas (156 km)

The Giro d'Italia 2026 starts on Friday 8 May in Nessebar — a historic town of around 15,000 inhabitants on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria, not far from the popular Sunny Beach resort. The riders finish 156 kilometres later in Burgas, the city that will also host the pre-race formalities in the days before the start.

Favourites:

Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets)
Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek)
Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step)

Stage 2 — Saturday 9 May: Burgas–Veliko Tarnovo (220 km)

On day two, the riders head into the Bulgarian interior from Burgas — a long 220-kilometre haul. The pink jersey will in all likelihood change hands, because the Lyaskovets Monastery climb (3.6 km at 6.6%) in the closing kilometres makes this a test for punchers and even climbers. The finish is on a short uphill stretch just after the descent of that same climb.

Favourites:

Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana)
Jan Christen (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)

Stage 3 — Sunday 10 May: Plovdiv–Sofia (174 km)

The third stage in Bulgaria takes the peloton from Plovdiv to the capital, Sofia, in the west of the country. Despite the Borovets climb (8.9 km at 5.3%) midway through, the sprinters should have another opportunity here. That said, the climb — with its summit 70 kilometres from the finish — could be used to shed some of the heavier riders.

Favourites:

Tobias Lund Andresen (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Premier Tech)
Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step)

Rest Day — Monday 11 May

Stage 4 — Tuesday 12 May: Catanzaro–Cosenza (144 km)

After a rest and travel day, the riders breathe Italian air from Tuesday 12 May. The trip through the Boot begins with a 144-kilometre transition stage, defined by the Cozzo Tunno climb (14.4 km at 5.9%), which summits 40 kilometres from the finish. The classic dilemma: too hard for the sprinters, too easy for the climbers?

Favourites:

Afonso Eulalio (Bahrain Victorious)
Frank van den Broek (Picnic PostNL)
Javier Romo (Movistar)

Stage 5 — Wednesday 13 May: Praia a Mare–Potenza (204 km)

Stage five is a tricky one — the kind of stage where you cannot win the race, but you can certainly lose it. The steep Grande di Viggiano climb (6.6 km at 9.2%) peaks 50 kilometres from the finish, and the road does not properly flatten out until 30 kilometres from the line. Support riders could play a crucial role in eliminating or softening up rivals early, heading into Potenza — where Koen Bouwman won in 2022.

Favourites:

Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost)
Ben O'Connor (Jayco AlUla)
Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious)

Stage 6 — Thursday 14 May: Paestum–Naples (161 km)

A Giro d'Italia without Naples is no Giro d'Italia — and for the fifth year running, the iconic city hosts a stage in the pink race. This time it is a 161-kilometre stage that the sprinters will have circled in red.

Favourites:

Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek)
Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets)
Casper van Uden (Picnic PostNL)

Stage 7 — Friday 15 May: Formia–Blockhaus (246 km)

Happy weekend, Giro riders — here comes Blockhaus. The legendary climb (14 km at 8.3%) arrives on Friday 15 May, but only after 232 kilometres in the legs first. That kind of fatigue can make itself felt on a climb like this. Jai Hindley won here in 2022.

Favourites:

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Jai Hindley (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek)

Stage 8 — Saturday 16 May: Chieti–Fermo (159 km)

The Tappa dei Muri! Stage eight may look unassuming on paper, but do not be deceived. The final quarter serves up a relentless series of punishing climbs: the Monterubbiano (4.7 km at 5.8%), the Muro del Ferro (0.5 km at 11.1%), the Capodarco (4 km at 5.3%), and the finishing climb to Fermo (3.4 km at 6.1%, including a stretch of 700 metres at 13.5%). Fermo last featured in Tirreno-Adriatico in 2022 and 2017, where Warren Barguil and a prime-era Peter Sagan won respectively.

Favourites:

Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
Michael Valgren (EF Education-EasyPost)
Filippo Zana (Soudal Quick-Step)

Stage 9 — Sunday 17 May: Cervia–Corno alle Scale (184 km)

On day nine, RCS revives a summit finish last used in 2004: the Corno alle Scale. Back then, Gilberto Simoni tamed the 12.8-kilometre climb (5.9% average) on its steep upper section, ahead of Damiano Cunego and Franco Pellizzotti.

Favourites:

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Adam Yates (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek)

Rest Day — Monday 18 May

Stage 10 — Tuesday 19 May: Viareggio–Massa (Individual time trial, 40 km)

The Giro's only time trial arrives on Tuesday 19 May — and at 40 kilometres, it is an immediately serious test. From Viareggio — where the Tirreno-Adriatico typically begins each year — the riders hammer along the coast to Massa. As a Dutch saying goes: massa is kassa ("the crowd is the cash register") — but whose motto will that prove to be?

Favourites:

Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers)
Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Edoardo Affini (Visma | Lease a Bike)

Stage 11 — Wednesday 20 May: Porcari–Chiavari (178 km)

Stage eleven keeps the coast in sight but includes some climbing through the middle section of the route. On paper it offers an ideal opportunity for the attackers who are willing to race hard in this phase of the Giro.

Favourites:

Edoardo Zambanini (Bahrain Victorious)
Marc Soler (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Wilco Kelderman (Visma | Lease a Bike)

Stage 12 — Thursday 21 May: Imperia–Novi Ligure (177 km)

Imperia — heard that recently? That is where the peloton hit the ground in Milan-San Remo this year, when Van der Poel, Pogačar and Van Aert chased each other through those climbs. This time it serves as the start of a 177-kilometre Giro stage finishing in Novi Ligure. There are obstacles along the way, but not enough to put the sprinters off.

Favourites:

Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step)
Tobias Lund Andresen (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Danny van Poppel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)

Stage 13 — Friday 22 May: Alessandria–Verbania (186 km)

Stage 13 on a Friday — what could go wrong? The route takes the peloton from Alessandria to Verbania, with a 4-kilometre climb at 7% to negotiate in the final 20 kilometres. One rider will be especially motivated: Filippo Ganna hails from Verbania and, for one day at least, gets to come home.

Favourites:

Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers)
Corbin Strong (NSN)
Filippo Zana (Soudal Quick-Step)

Stage 14 — Saturday 23 May: Aosta–Pila (133 km)

Stage fourteen is a proper mountain stage. From Aosta, the riders tackle "just" 133 kilometres — but from almost the very first kilometre, it is a succession of climbing and descending. The finish sits at 1,800 metres above sea level, atop the Pila: a 16.6-kilometre climb averaging 7.0%. The GC contenders will earn their places here.

Favourites:

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Michael Storer (Tudor)

Stage 15 — Sunday 24 May: Voghera–Milan (136 km)

After the demands of Saturday, RCS sensibly eases off on Sunday. Between Voghera and Milan there are barely any altitude metres, and it would take something extraordinary for this not to end in a sprint.

Favourites:

Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek)
Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets)
Tobias Lund Andresen (Decathlon CMA CGM)

Rest Day — Monday 25 May

Stage 16 — Tuesday 26 May: Bellinzona–Cari (113 km)

Day 16 takes the race on a Swiss excursion, starting in Bellinzona and finishing atop the Cari. The 11.6-kilometre final climb (8.0% average) last featured at the 2024 Tour de Suisse, where Adam Yates and João Almeida took a 1-2 for UAE Emirates-XRG in a race they dominated.

Favourites:

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Adam Yates (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM)

Stage 17 — Wednesday 27 May: Cassano d'Adda–Andalo (200 km)

Stage 17 also has an uphill character, but on paper looks better suited to the attackers than the GC favourites. At 200 kilometres, without any truly major passes, it is an ideal stage for the breakaway riders to take their chance. One to watch: Christian Scaroni of XDS Astana races through his home region.

Favourites:

Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana)
António Morgado (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Filippo Zana (Soudal Quick-Step)

Stage 18 — Thursday 28 May: Fai della Paganella–Pieve di Soligo (167 km)

On paper, stage 18 looks like a flat stage — but experience tells us that similar stages in week three of a Grand Tour often fall to breakaway riders. That pattern is reinforced here by the Muro di Cà del Poggio (1.1 km at 11%), which comes in the final 10 kilometres.

Favourites:

Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Premier Tech)
Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step)
Alec Segaert (Bahrain Victorious)

Stage 19 — Friday 29 May: Feltre–Piani di Pezze (151 km)

There is nowhere to hide in stage 19. After a 50-kilometre introduction, the climbs come thick and fast: the Passo Duran (12.3 km at 8.0%), the Coi (5.9 km at 9.3%), the Forcella Staulanza (6.9 km at 6.1%), the Passo Giau (9.7 km at 9.4%), the Passo Falzarego (11.0 km at 5.3%), and finally the finishing climb to Piani di Pezze (4.9 km at 9.7%).

Favourites:

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM)
Michael Storer (Tudor)

Stage 20 — Saturday 30 May: Gemona del Friuli–Piancavallo (199 km)

The penultimate stage of the Giro d'Italia is almost always a brutal one — and 2026 is no different. The Piancavallo climb takes centre stage, tackled twice in the second half of the stage. At 14.4 kilometres averaging 7.8%, it is the last major obstacle of the race.

Favourites:

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)
Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana)
Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious)

Stage 21 — Sunday 31 May: Rome–Rome (131 km)

No Parisian drama with a Montmartre finish here — just a short, classic sprint stage to close out the Giro. As we start in Burgas, we finish in Rome. As the saying goes: Rome wasn't built in a day. It took rather longer — rather like surviving three weeks of this race.

Favourites:

Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek)
Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets)
Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step)

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Giro d'Italia 2026 Stages Preview | Discover every stage of the first Grand Tour of the year!

Week 2: long time trial; week 3: relentless climbing

Stage-by-stage guide — Giro d'Italia 2026

Stage 1 — Friday 8 May: Nessebar–Burgas (156 km)

Stage 2 — Saturday 9 May: Burgas–Veliko Tarnovo (220 km)

Stage 3 — Sunday 10 May: Plovdiv–Sofia (174 km)

Rest Day — Monday 11 May

Stage 4 — Tuesday 12 May: Catanzaro–Cosenza (144 km)

Stage 5 — Wednesday 13 May: Praia a Mare–Potenza (204 km)

Stage 6 — Thursday 14 May: Paestum–Naples (161 km)

Stage 7 — Friday 15 May: Formia–Blockhaus (246 km)

Stage 8 — Saturday 16 May: Chieti–Fermo (159 km)

Stage 9 — Sunday 17 May: Cervia–Corno alle Scale (184 km)

Rest Day — Monday 18 May

Stage 10 — Tuesday 19 May: Viareggio–Massa (Individual time trial, 40 km)

Stage 11 — Wednesday 20 May: Porcari–Chiavari (178 km)

Stage 12 — Thursday 21 May: Imperia–Novi Ligure (177 km)

Stage 13 — Friday 22 May: Alessandria–Verbania (186 km)

Stage 14 — Saturday 23 May: Aosta–Pila (133 km)

Stage 15 — Sunday 24 May: Voghera–Milan (136 km)

Rest Day — Monday 25 May

Stage 16 — Tuesday 26 May: Bellinzona–Cari (113 km)

Stage 17 — Wednesday 27 May: Cassano d'Adda–Andalo (200 km)

Stage 18 — Thursday 28 May: Fai della Paganella–Pieve di Soligo (167 km)

Stage 19 — Friday 29 May: Feltre–Piani di Pezze (151 km)

Stage 20 — Saturday 30 May: Gemona del Friuli–Piancavallo (199 km)

Stage 21 — Sunday 31 May: Rome–Rome (131 km)

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