The 2026 Giro d’Italia is on the verge of its highly anticipated start. The ‘Corsa Rosa’, the first of cycling’s three Grand Tours, will bring together some of the sport’s biggest names on transalpine roads over the next three weeks, aiming to succeed the retired Simon Yates in the race’s history.
This edition of the Giro, with its ‘Grande Partenza’ taking place in Nessebar (Bulgaria) and finishing in Rome, features a route of 3,459 kilometers and over 49,000 meters of cumulative elevation gain. The traditional 21 stages will lead the peloton through 14 regions, highlighting the Abruzzo, the Alps, and the Dolomites.
The 21 stages of the 2026 Giro d’Italia include a wide variety of profiles: 8 flat stages, 7 medium-mountain stages, 5 high-mountain stages, and a single individual time trial. The schedule also includes two rest days, one immediately after the start for the transfer from Bulgaria to Italy.
Jonas Vingegaard, making his debut in the ‘Corsa Rosa’, starts from Bulgaria as the clear favorite. The two-time Tour de France winner has had a spectacular start to the season, conquering Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya, and aims to become one of the few cyclists to claim the triple crown (Giro, Tour, and Vuelta).
But Vingegaard is not the only one chasing the coveted maglia rosa. Local idol Giulio Pellizzari emerges as the main threat to the Visma leader, while prominent figures such as Felix Gall, Egan Bernal, and Enric Mas—making his Giro debut after freeing himself from Tour obligations—are poised to shake up the ‘Corsa Rosa’.
What is the route of the 2026 Giro d’Italia?
The profile of the 21 stages of the 2026 Giro d’Italia:
Stage 1: Nessebar – Burgas (147 km) – May 8
{IMAGE_4 placeholder} Start time: 12:50 CEST | Estimated arrival: 16:12 CEST
Stage 2: Burgas – Veliko Tarnovo (221 km) – May 9
{IMAGE_4 placeholder} Start time: 10:50 CEST | Estimated arrival: 16:14 CEST
Stage 3: Plovdiv – Sofia (175 km) – May 10
{IMAGE_4 placeholder} Start time: 12:05 CEST | Estimated arrival: 16:14 CEST
Rest day / Transfer – May 11
Stage 4: Catanzaro – Cosenza (138 km) – May 12
{IMAGE_4 placeholder} Start time: 13:40 CEST | Estimated arrival: 17:13 CEST
Stage 5: Praia a Mare – Potenza (203 km) – May 13
{IMAGE_4 placeholder} Start time: 12:15 CEST | Estimated arrival: 17:15 CEST
Stage 6: Paestum – Napoli (141 km) – May 14
{IMAGE_4 placeholder} Start time: 13:50 CEST | Estimated arrival: 17:13 CEST
Stage 7: Formia – Blockhaus (244 km) – May 15
{IMAGE_4 placeholder} Start time: 10:45 CEST | Estimated arrival: 17:11 CEST
Stage 8: Chieti – Fermo (156 km) – May 16
{IMAGE_4 placeholder} Start time: 13:15 CEST | Estimated arrival: 17:13 CEST
Stage 9: Cervia – Corno alle Scale (184 km) – May 17
{IMAGE_4 placeholder} (Stage profile continues) Start time: 12:30 CEST | Estimated arrival: 17:00 CEST
(Note: The original text included stage profiles only up to stage 9; additional stages can be added based on typical Giro format if needed, but per instruction, do not invent content. The provided details are preserved.)
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