Giro d'Italia

From an opening weekend in Bulgaria — a first for the race — featuring a flat sprinter's stage on the Black Sea coast and a punchy climb to Veliko Tarnovo, the 2026 Giro d'Italia wastes no time making its mark. After the peloton transfers south to Italy, rolling terrain, uphill finishes and the iconic stage to Naples keep both sprinters and general classification contenders on constant alert. Early breakaways and sprint trains will battle for honours before the route turns its full attention to the mountains.

The race's only time trial, a solid 40 kilometre effort along the Ligurian coast from Viareggio to Massa, comes in week two and promises to shake up the overall standings significantly. Summit finishes at Blockhaus and the Corno alle Scale, and an Alpine day to Pila in the Aosta Valley, ensure that the climbers have plenty to look forward to.

In the final week, the Giro's legendary passes take centre stage. Stage 19 is a monster. Six consecutive climbs including the Passo Giau and Passo Duran, before Piancavallo is tackled twice on the penultimate day. With cumulative elevation gains approaching 45,000 metres, peak endurance and team strategy will decide who stands on the podium in Rome on 31 May.

Whether you're a casual viewer or a dedicated fan, the 2026 Giro promises nonstop drama, including fast finishes on the Adriatic coast to breathtaking mountain heroics in the Dolomites.

Check out details on the stages for the 2026 edition of the Giro d'Italia here

2025 Simon Yates
2024 Tadej Pogačar
2023 Primoz Roglic
2022 Jai Hindley
2021 Egan Bernal
2020 Tao Geoghegan Hart
2019 Richard Carapaz
2018 Chris Froome
2017 Tom Dumoulin
2016 Vincenzo Nibali
2015 Alberto Contador

Read the full IDL Pro Cycling Giro d'Italia preview here.