With a Slovenian start and a Zoncolan finale, the leaked 2027 Giro d'Italia route tries to tempt Tadej Pogačar
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Follow us on GoogleThe 2027 Giro d'Italia route won't be officially unveiled until Tuesday 3 November in Rome, but most of it has already leaked. Reports in the Italian press have the 110th edition starting in Trieste with a loop into Slovenia, featuring a mountain time trial and a double ascent of the Mortirolo, and finishing on the Zoncolan the day before Rome. On paper, it looks like a route designed to tempt Tadej Pogačar.
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Will Tadej Pogačar be tempted back to the Giro in 2027?
A Grande Partenza on Pogačar's doorstep
Domestique stresses that nothing is confirmed, and that the contract may not even have been signed a week before the presentation. Even so, the race is expected to start in Trieste on Saturday 8 May.
Trieste missed out on the 2025 Grande Partenza to Albania. A reported deal worth nearly €10 million with the Friuli-Venezia Giulia regional government will give the region three stages, including the start and the final mountain stage.
The 2027 Giro d'Italia will start in Trieste
Journalist Antonio Simeoli of Il Messaggero Veneto reports that stage 1 will start and finish in Trieste, with a short loop into Slovenia. Domestique suggests the stage should suit the sprinters and might even persuade Pogačar to turn up.
Earlier this month, Rai analyst Beppe Conti said that the Slovenian detour may be intended to draw Pogačar to the start line. Stage 2 is expected to run from Gorizia to Pordenone.
The rider at the centre of that theory has been cool on the idea. Speaking about his 2027 goals, Pogačar named the World Championships, the Tour and the Vuelta.
He added that "although I'd prefer to ride the Giro, I'll have to check off the Vuelta at some point." Asked directly about a Giro stage on home roads, he left little doubt:
When a Giro stage passes through Slovenia, it's a unique experience for the Slovenians, on Slovenian roads, for the fans… If that were to happen, it would be phenomenal. But as far as my participation in the next Giro is concerned, that's highly unlikely.- Tadej Pogačar
A mountain time trial and the Mortirolo twice
From the north-east, the race is expected to head south along the Adriatic coast. According to OA Sport, Abruzzo is set to host a finish in Lanciano and then an uphill time trial from Sulmona to Campo di Giove.
MTBi puts that effort on stage 7. Cicloweb adds that the gradients are gentle enough to stay an open invitation to Remco Evenepoel. A sprint in Naples is expected to mark the southernmost point of the route.
Read more below the photo!
Pogačar will reportedly not race the Giro in 2027.
2027 Giro d'Italia time trial reports are unclear
The reports disagree on the second time trial. Earlier in October, Tuttobiciweb reported a hilly test to Vicenza. MTBi's latest report instead points to a flat time trial, probably over more than 40 kilometres, at the Monza motor racing circuit.
The headline stage comes in the final week. Tuttobiciweb, citing Tuttosport, reports a Sondrio to Aprica stage on Tuesday 25 May with almost 6,000 metres of climbing.
The riders would tackle the Mortirolo from its steepest side, starting in Mazzo, then the Gavia at 2,618 metres as the Cima Coppi, then the Mortirolo from Mazzo a second time before the finish in Aprica.
The Zoncolan as final judge, then Rome
On Saturday 29 May, the penultimate stage is set to start in Lienz, Austria, and finish on Monte Zoncolan. CyclingStage reports a climb from Ovaro, the side the Giro last used in 2018, when Chris Froome won solo on his way to the maglia rosa.
Eurosport Italia, however, has suggested the race could instead go up from Priola.
Domestique also reports that a new deal with Rome city council means the riders will transfer 600 kilometres south after stage 20. A final sunset stage around the Roman ruins and the Colosseum follows on Sunday 30 May.
Denk on Evenepoel: 'Personally I'm not a fan'
If Pogačar stays away, Evenepoel is the big name everyone is watching. Before Il Lombardia, the Belgian said the door was open to a Giro return.
That was before the 2027 Tour route was unveiled with 71 kilometres of time trialling, which Domestique says gave Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe reason to aim for yellow. When the Tour route came out, team boss Ralph Denk said: "We have no information on the parcours of the Giro d'italia."
Asked by HLN whether Evenepoel could ride both, Denk made his position clear, according to Domestique: "It's far too early to make the call, but personally I'm not a fan." Next Tuesday, in Rome, Red Bull will finally see the Giro route they have been waiting for.
David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- More time trials sounds good, but could Remco actually win the whole race? I thought the Tour was mostly about climbing.gearguru3323-10-2026
- If Pogačar crashed badly, does that mean he might not be fully fit for the Tour?julien23-10-2026
- Edinburgh for the Grand Départ is brilliant news. The crowds in Yorkshire were incredible, and Scotland could be just as special.pedalpowe2923-10-2026
- Froome’s point about the mountains is spot on: the extra TT distance gives the other GC contenders a real reason to race aggressively before the final climbs.tourdeforce923-10-2026
- 71km of time trialling should make things much more interesting. Remco will fancy his chances, but you can never write Pogačar off.lindae23-10-2026
- I’m still figuring out how time trials affect the overall race. If Evenepoel gains time there, will Pogačar have enough mountain stages left to make it back? The route sounds exciting, but I’m not sure how much difference 71km makes.davidm22-10-2026
- Two 223km stages in the opening week could make for a proper nervous start. Those narrow British roads and potholes might have the GC favourites watching every corner.jennifer1922-10-2026
- That Pau–Portet stage sounds absolutely savage: Tourmalet, Soulor, Hourquette d’Ancizan and then the Portet. Vingegaard should suit those long climbs, though Pogačar is hardly easy to shake.julien22-10-2026
- Seventy-one kilometres against the clock gives Evenepoel a real chance to put pressure on Pogačar, but those Pyrenean stages look brutal. Could be a cracking final week if the time gaps stay close.sprocketspiny22-10-2026
- Not sure we can call this a perfect Evenepoel route before we’ve seen the start list. Plenty of time-trialling, yes, but those Pyrenees stages look absolutely savage. Could be a great Tour, though.julien22-10-2026
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