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

The route for the 2026 Giro d'Italia covers 3,459km and features a total elevation gain of 50,000m. Over the course of 21 stages, riders will face the following:

• 9 Flat stages
• 6 Hilly stages
• 5 Mountain stages
• 1 Individual time trial
• A first Bulgarian Grande Partenza
• There are three rest days during the 2026 Giro d'Italia, on May 11, May 18, and May 25.

For the first time, the Giro d’Italia will start in Bulgaria, marking the twelfth foreign country to host the Grande Partenza. 

No doubt the sprinter's eyes lit up when the route was revealed, as the opening stage marks a prime opportunity for not only a stage win but also to take the first maglia rosa of the race with a tailor-made route. 

Beginning in Nessebar, the peloton will head towards the city of Burgas, where the stage is set to finish. Though once they first arrive, instead they head around Lake Burgas, where the single mountains sprint awaits, which should be hotly contested by the breakaway riders. 

From here, the riders will travel along the coast before heading back into the city for the fast finish with an 11km circuit. Inside the final kilometre, the road rises gradually towards the finish line, placing more importance on timing in the sprint.

Following the first battle for the pink jersey, the riders will tackle the second-longest stage of the Giro on the second day, beginning where they left off in Burgas. As well as being longer, this stage also takes in more climbing along the way, with three categorised climbs. 

The category 3 ascents of the Byala Pass and the Vratnik Pass come in quick succession around the middle of the stage, with the latter’s summit nearly 70km from the finish line in Veliko Tarnovo.

Rolling terrain awaits the riders on the way to the final climb of the day, which could spice up the finale. The Lyaskovets Monastery Pass is another category 3 climb, 3.5km in length with an average gradient of 7.5%. The opening section of the climb is difficult, with double-digit gradients, and this could serve as a launchpad for attacks.

With the summit of the climb coming inside the final 10km, this stage is set up nicely for an explosive finish between a reduced selection of riders, or perhaps even a solo winner. 

While the sprinters may be ruled out of contention in the finish to Veliko Tarnovo, stage 3 looks to be another day for the fast men to capitalise on what is the final stage in Bulgaria. 

Beginning in Plovdiv, the race gradually makes its way towards the stage’s sole categorised climb, the Borovec Pass. The climb itself has been described by the race organisers as long and steady, so it shouldn’t cause any real problems for the fast men.

Following the summit, with over 70km remaining, the riders will gradually descend the other side and make their way towards the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, where the final 7km are pan-flat, which should lead to a competitive battle between the lead-out trains. 

It's a fitting location as a curtain closer for the Bulgarian Grande Partenza, and just like the opening stage, it is expected that a sprinter will raise their arms aloft in celebration. 

The Giro reaches home soil after a day of travel with Catanzaro, known as the “City of the two Seas”, hosting the start of stage 4. 

Mark Cavendish was victorious when Catanzaro hosted a stage finish back in 2008, the first of two stages he would pick up in that edition.

This stage is on the shorter side in terms of the 2026 Giro, and shortly after leaving Catanzaro, the route hugs the coastline 

Stage 4’s main action point could be the Cozzo Tunno climb, which, as a category 2 ascent, is the toughest of the Giro d’Italia. It’s another long and steady climb, which should help the sprinter's chances of hanging on in the peloton. 

A stepped descent follows before a flat run-in to the finish, where the road gradually rises to the line in the final kilometres.

Praia a Mare featured on the Giro route back in 2018, with Sam Bennett beating Elia Viviani in the sprint finish to take a maiden Grand Tour stage win.

In 2026, the coastal town will host the start of a rolling stage which features multiple climbs, some categorised and some not.

The toughest is the second category, Montagna Grande di Viggiano, which is 6.6km with a steep average gradient of 9.2%. What’s also intriguing is the fact that there is little initial respite after the climb, with a brief descent followed by a series of uncategorised kickers.

Following this, the riders will hit the descent proper, before closing kilometres where there is one final uncategorised kicker on the run-in to Potenza that could serve as a launchpad.

Naples has a long and rich history with the Giro d’Italia, and has been a staple fixture in recent editions. The city has hosted a stage finish for the previous four editions, and on the last three occasions, a fastman has prevailed.

Before the riders reach the famous city, they will head off from Paestrum on a day that could be a slow burner with a flat route and no categorised climbs until the very last.

Similar to the stage that Olav Kooij won in 2024, there’s a short climb, Fuorigrotta, not too far from the finish, that could dent the chances of some and equally present the opportunity to attack. There should be plenty of fresher legs with the flat nature of the majority of this stage.

If the climb doesn’t split the race, a sprint should ensue in a fast run-in to the finish line in Naples.

This is the stage that those in the hunt for the maglia rosa will have been waiting for. An opportunity to make a mark in the general classification with a stage that is the longest in the Giro over the last decade. 

While there are only two categorised climbs, the second half of the stage is rarely flat, with the road either ascending or descending. The first categorised climb that the riders will tackle is the category 2 Roccaraso. 

However, the main event of the day is the first category climb to Blockhaus, which will be climbed from Roccamorice, where the final 10km average consistently around and above 10%.

Blockhaus often produces a humdinger, so long as the riders make it to the climb in one piece, which wasn’t the case for all in 2017 when multiple contenders were involved in a crash with a stationary motorbike.

Jai Hindley won a slow-motion sprint finish when the Giro last visited the climb in 2022, with the Australian ultimately going on to win that edition of the race. Could that be an omen for the winner of this stage in 2026?

Stage 8 is another that predominantly hugs the coastline and sets off from Chieti, the birthplace of Giulio Ciccone. In fact, it’s a stage that could suit the punchy characteristics of the Italian with a tricky finale to contend with.

The first 100km are flat, offering little in terms of difficulty to spice up the race. But fear not, the final 60km feature four categorised climbs that could open up the stage to attacks.

Inside the final 10km, the riders will climb to Capodarco, followed by a brief respite, before the final ascent to Fermo, which is 3.4km at 6.1%.

The climb is inconsistent in its nature, with plenty of steep pitches, including a section that averages over 10% for almost 800 metres. There could be an opportunity for a stage win from an opportunistic rider with a final climb like the one to Fermo.

Another significant climbs awaits the riders ahead of the second rest day. Although there are officially two categorised climbs, the summit of the Querciola is followed by a minuscule descent before the final climb to Corno alle Scale begins.

The riders will head inland from the start location of Cervia and travel straightforwardly towards Bologna in the first half of the stage. Once the riders reach Bologna, the route turns in the Eastern direction, and towards the finish location of Corno alle Scale.

Gilberto Simoni won solo when Corno alle Scale last hosted a stage finish of the Giro d’Italia ahead of his own Saeco teammate Damiano Cunego.

The climb to Corno alle Scale is more defined by its 12.8km length rather than its 5.9% average gradient. However, the riders will need to have their wits about them, and keep something in reserve for the final 3km where the gradients rise and the chances of blowing up increase.

The only time trial of this Giro awaits the riders on the other side of the second rest day. This is the longest wait for a time trial in an edition of the Giro d’Italia since 2017, when Tom Dumoulin stormed into the maglia rosa in Montefalco. 

Beginning in the seaside city of Viareggio in Tuscany, this 40.2km course is tailor-made for the specialists, and those who aren’t comfortable in the discipline could shed significant time if ill-prepared. 

With a large portion of the route hugging the coastline on the way to Massa, the wind could play a significant factor, meaning that equipment and aerodynamics become even more important on a day like this.

You perhaps can’t ‘win’ the Giro d’Italia here, but you can go a long way to building the foundations for a successful three weeks with a strong performance on this stage.

Stage 11 has earned a two-star difficulty rating from the race organisers, which would give the fast men hope for a stage win. However, the stage profile suggests that it will be anything but easy for the sprinters if they are to survive until the finish in Chiavari on the Tuscan coast.

The Colle di Gualtarola stands out as a significant climb where the race could be slimmed out, with the climb just shy of 10km with an average gradient of 6.3%. The fact that the climb comes quickly after the Passo del Termine makes it more likely that the ascent to Gualtarola will be significant.

Those who survive the two ascents will descend towards Lavagna, where the final ascent begins. The San Bartolomeo is another climb that could see some action, standing at 4.6km with an average gradient of 6.3%. The summit is 9km from the finish, meaning that those who have been distanced will have little time to return before the finish in Chiavari.

Profiled as flat, stage 12 lives up to the bill for the most part. There are two categorised climbs in the second half of this 177km stage from Imperia to Novi Ligure, but that shouldn’t dent the sprinters' chances too much.

Caleb Ewan was the last winner when a Giro stage finished in Novi Ligure back in 2019, and there’s a good chance that another fast man will add his name to the list at the end of this day.

This stage is straightforward for the most part, with little in the way of key action points. However, things spice up towards the finish, which could lead to a dynamic conclusion.

Alessandria hosts the start of the stage, and for the most part, the first 150km of the route is flat. 

Things change inside the final 25km with the category four climb to Bieno, which is quickly followed by the category three ascent to Ungiasca. The summit of the latter is 13 kilometres from the finish, which could entice riders to attack.

The stage finishes by the lake in Verbania and is a flat run-in, meaning that any riders who attack on the climbs will need to have kept something back to stay clear of the pack.

This is the first of two stages in this Giro that have been awarded a five-star difficulty rating, and upon a brief look alone at the route profile of this 133km blockbuster stage, it’s easy to see why.

Beginning in Aosta, there will be no time to relax as the flag will drop at the foot of the first climb of the day, the category one, Saint-Barthélémy. It’s a long climb of 17.6km with an average gradient of 5.5%, meaning that there could be a strong and long-fought battle for the day’s breakaway.

Subsequent ascents of Doues, Lin Noir, and Verrogne await, and the summit finish at Pila (16.6 km at 7.1%)  should ignite a fierce battle among the pink jersey contenders, and that intensity may ultimately doom the breakaway's hopes.

Stage 15 is chalk and cheese from the previous day, the flattest profile of the entire race. After a brutal encounter on stage 14, this will be a much-welcomed stage for the riders, and should be a slow burner. 

Although the majority of the stage will likely be ‘pedestrian’ for the peloton’s standards, we can still expect a fast and furious run-in towards the finish in the final city circuit on the streets of Milan.

It’s not a kind welcome into the third and final week of the Giro with a major summit finishing in Carì looming on the horizon at the end of this 113km short stage.

Beforehand, the riders will set off from Bellinzona and take on two laps featuring two categorised climbs to Torre and Leontica. These ascents should serve as nothing more than a fight for mountain points between the breakaway riders and a chance to warm up the climbing legs due to their positioning in the first half of the stage. However, the fatigue will build as a result.

The stage ultimately will come down to one of the toughest summit finishes in the race, an 11.8km at 8% ascent to Cari. It’s a short and explosive stage, which could lead to some spectacular fireworks in the fight for pink.

This will be a long day in the saddle for the riders, particularly with the race being deep into the third and final week. There’s plenty of climbing but nothing major compared to what’s to come, which could possibly open up the door for the breakaway to succeed if the GC riders keep their powder dry.

The finale to Andalo is uphill, meaning that there will be riders looking to attack earlier to gain an advantage, while there will be others fancying their chances in a punchy sprint to the finish.

Amid a difficult third week geared towards the general classification battle, stage 18 presents a reprieve for the sprinters suffering and gives another opportunity to shine in a fast finish with a two-star finish.

As we have seen on multiple occasions at this point in a three-week race, however, the fatigue in the peloton can cause difficulty in controlling a strong and well-coordinated breakaway, and this stage presents a couple of surprises that could rule the fastmen out completely.

The stage begins in Fai della Paganella and offers rolling terrain for the majority. There are two categorised climbs en route, with the Muro di Ca’ del Poggio being of peak interest, as the ascent is crested just shy of 10km from the finish line.

If this is a stage that becomes set for a sprint, the climb could see some fast men distanced, with little time to return. If the breakaway has its day, this climb could also be pivotal in seeing a race-winning move either on the ascent or shortly after the summit, ahead of a flat run-in to Pieve di Soligo.

A mouth-watering mountain showdown awaits on the toughest stage of the 2026 Giro d'Italia. The brutal queen stage from Feltre to Alleghe packs over 5,000 metres of elevation gain, tackling the Passo Duran, Forcella Staulanza, the fearsome Passo Giau, and Passo Falzarego before a stinging uphill finish at Piani di Pezzè (4.9km at 9.8%).

For the GC contenders, the tactical battle will be fascinating. On paper, this is the perfect opportunity for a decisive do-or-die attack to seize the maglia rosa. Yet with another demanding mountain stage just 24 hours later, who will have the courage to roll the dice here?

The toughest ascent is the Passo Giau, the Cima Coppi of this Giro at 2,305 metres, the race's highest point. It last appeared in 2021, when Egan Bernal launched his winning move on a snow-shortened stage en route to overall victory.

If any rider suffers a bad day amid these relentless Dolomites, the time gaps will be massive. 

The battle for the pink jersey will ultimately be decided on this pivotal stage, if it hasn’t already been wrapped up yet. Though even a big lead can be wiped out on a stage that features two ascents of the Piancavallo climb, which Marco Pantani swashbuckled his way to victory up in 1998 en route to winning the general classification.

Piancavallo was decisive on its last appearance in the Giro back in 2020. On that occasion, Tao Geoghegan Hart established himself as a serious contender for the pink jersey after outsprinting Jai Hindley and Wilco Kelderman to the line. The trio were all major winners on the day, and this stage was an indicator of what was to come, as all three would feature on the final podium in Milan, with Geoghegan Hart the winner. 

It’s not just the climbs that will be a challenge for the riders, but also the fact that the penultimate stage of the race is just shy of 200km in length. The first 130km from Gemona del Friuli aren't too difficult, compared to what comes later, with only one climb to Clauzetto that is 6.7km at 5.6%.

Like in 2024 when the penultimate stage featured two ascents of the Monte Grappa, the riders will be able to rehearse the final act, when they take on the 14.4km at 7.8% climb to Piancavallo for the first time with around 70km remaining, A long valley section follows before the final ascent, where the fate of the riders will be all but sealed. 

With the general classification all but sealed, the celebrations can begin, with the brief interruption of one last battle between the fastmen on the streets of Rome.

In a stage which is almost identical to recent years, the riders will tackle multiple laps of the city-centre circuit where the aim of the game will be to stay in a good position, to avoid incidents and accidents and have the best possible starting position for a final sprint. 

There will no doubt be riders daring to dream of spoiling the party with a breakaway success, but it will be hard to stay away with many sprinters wanting one last opportunity to fight for a prestigious Grand Tour stage win.

It is possible, as Ijlo Keisse demonstrated in 2015, upsetting the field when he and Luke Durbridge managed to stay clear in 2015, though in that instance it was on the streets of Milan. Though the smart money is on a bunch sprint in any case.