'It looks like a challenging parcours' - Niermann on the 2026 Giro route
Grischa Niermann, head of racing at Visma | Lease a Bike, has described the newly unveiled 2026 Giro d'Italia route as "challenging" following Monday's presentation in Rome, which defending champion Simon Yates also attended.
The 2026 edition will feature a flat 40-kilometre time trial alongside numerous tough climbing stages, creating a balanced but demanding parcours for the first Grand Tour of the season.
"It's a nice parcours. The first thing that springs to mind is the completely flat 40-kilometre time trial, but there are also a lot of tough uphill finishes. Now that we know the route, we will decide what to do as a team, and who will ride the Giro," said Niermann in the team's press release, following the presentation in the Italian capital.
The course structure follows the traditional Giro format, with the most challenging mountain stages backloaded in the final week. Niermann noted this typical design feature while assessing which riders might suit the course.
"It looks like a challenging parcours, even though it takes a while before we get to the first uphill finish. As is usually the case in the Giro, it's heavily backloaded with some very hard stages in the Dolomites and Alps near the end. It should be a good course for a climber, but we also have to keep the long time trial in mind. Overall, it looks good," Niermann added.
Simon Yates, who claimed victory in the 2025 edition with a memorable attack on the Colle delle Finestre, reflected on what winning the Italian Grand Tour meant to him after years of trying.
"To be honest, I'm still in disbelief that I managed to pull it off. It's something I've worked towards for so long, and obviously, a moment I will never forget. It feels like a defining moment in my career," said Yates.
The British rider, who finally secured the coveted Trofeo last year, also spoke about the unique atmosphere that sets the Giro apart from other races on the calendar.
"The Giro is just a different race from every other race on the calendar. The feeling you get when you ride through the fans on the way to sign-on is incredible, and they show so much passion on the side of the road. I'm sure everybody who has raced the Giro feels that as well - not just the guy who wins," Yates concluded.
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