Seven summit finishes, almost 50,000 metres of climbing and a single 40km-long individual time trial are the headlines from the route for the 2026 men’s Giro d’Italia.
It begins with three stages in Bulgaria, as already announced, starting on 8 May, before 18 stages from the south to the north of Italy, via Naples, the Apennines, Milan, the Alps and the Dolomites. The 109th Giro finishes in Rome on 31 May.
As ever at the Giro, much of the action is saved for the final week, with stage 16 to Carì in Switzerland looking decisive, before the Queen Stage in the Dolomites on stage 19, with five climbs in just 152km of racing.
Giro d’Italia 2026 stage table
|
Stage |
Day |
Start |
Finish |
Distance |
Terrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
8 May |
Nessebar (Bulgaria) |
Burgas (Bulgaria) |
156km |
Flat |
|
2 |
9 May |
Burgas (Bulgaria) |
Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria) |
220km |
Hilly |
|
3 |
10 May |
Plovdiv (Bulgaria) |
Sofia (Bulgaria) |
174km |
Flat |
|
4 |
12 May |
Catanzaro |
Cosenza |
144km |
Flat |
|
5 |
13 May |
Praia a Mare |
Potenza |
204km |
Hilly |
|
6 |
14 May |
Paestum |
Napoli |
161km |
Flat |
|
7 |
15 May |
Formia |
Blockhaus |
246km |
Mountains |
|
8 |
16 May |
Chieti |
Fermo |
159km |
Medium mountains |
|
9 |
17 May |
Cervia |
Corno alle Scale |
184km |
Mountains |
|
10 |
19 May |
Viareggio |
Massa |
40.2km |
ITT |
|
11 |
20 May |
Porcari |
Chiavari |
178km |
Hilly |
|
12 |
21 May |
Imperia |
Novi Ligure |
177km |
Flat |
|
13 |
22 May |
Alessandria |
Verbania |
186km |
Hilly |
|
14 |
23 May |
Aosta |
Pila |
133km |
Mountains |
|
15 |
24 May |
Voghera |
Milan |
136km |
Flat |
|
16 |
26 May |
Bellinzona (Switzerland) |
Carì (Switzerland) |
113km |
Mountains |
|
17 |
27 May |
Cassano d’Adda |
Andalo |
100km |
Hilly |
|
18 |
28 May |
Fai della Paganella |
Pieve di Soligo |
166km |
Hilly |
|
19 |
29 May |
Feltre |
Alleghe |
151km |
Mountains |
|
20 |
30 May |
Gemona del Friuli |
Piancavallo |
199km |
Mountains |
|
21 |
31 May |
Rome |
Rome |
131km |
Flat |
Giro d’Italia 2026 route map
(Image credit: Giro d’Italia/RCS)
Giro d’Italia 2026 week-by-week summary
Week one
The 2026 Giro begins in Nessebar, Bulgaria, on the Black Sea coast, heading inland to Burgas, where stage one will likely finish in a sprint. The maglia rosa will go to a fast man first.
The race remains in Bulgaria for stage two, with 220km between Burgas and Veliko Tarnovo. There are three classified climbs, including one just eight kilometres from the finish, which has the hallmarks of a surprise attack. Stage three is another largely flat day which ends in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia.
(Image credit: RCS/Giro d’Italia 2026)
After an early rest day to allow the Giro to move from Bulgaria back to Italy, the race hits the mainland with what will likely be a sprint stage. Stage five is interesting for those beyond sprinters, with a constant threat of attacks on the road to Potenza.
For the fifth year in a row, the race heads to Naples, this time on stage six, in what should be a sprint. The GC men will be on full alert again on stage seven, however, which finishes on the well-used Blockhaus climb. It’s also the longest stage of the race, at 246km, with 4,600m of elevation gain.
(Image credit: RCS/Giro d’Italia 2026)
Stage eight is hilly once again, with short and steep climbs between Chieti and Fermo. This is followed by a summit finish on stage nine in Corno alle Scale, with 2,400 metres of elevation in just the final 30km.
Week two
The second rest day is followed by the only individual time trial of the race, 40.2km of a power course on the Tuscan seafront between Viareggio and Massa. Stage 11 is no day off, with constant hills on this day from Porcari to Chiavari.
(Image credit: RCS/Giro d’Italia 2026)
Stage 12 begins on the coast and heads inland, like an inverse Milan-San Remo, and will likely end in a sprint. It’s close to the Alps on stage 13, 186km between Alessandria and Verbania, and could be a good day for the breakaway merchants.
It’s back to the mountains proper on stage 14, with a summit finish in Pila after a route through the Val d’Osta; there is 4,400m of elevation in 133km.
(Image credit: RCS/Giro d’Italia 2026)
However, the sprinters shouldn’t lose heart too much, because they get another opportunity in Milan on stage 15, before the third and final rest day.
Week three
The final week begins with stage 15 to Carì in Switzerland; in fact this whole stage takes place in Switzerland, the third country of the race. It’s only 113km, but the climb to Carì should sort the GC out.
(Image credit: RCS/Giro d’Italia 2026)
The next day, is stage 17 to Andalo, a transitional day which suits stage hunters, but probably won’t have too much of an effect overall. This is followed by another transition through Veneto on stage 18, but those hunting pink will not be able to switch off.
It is the antepenultimate day, stage 19, which should decide the Giro. In just 152km there are six classified climbs, including the Cima Coppi, the Passo Giau. Expect the lead group to fracture on this route which echoes the Maratona Dles Dolomites.
(Image credit: RCS/Giro d’Italia 2026)
Stage 20 is gentle by comparison, but does climb to Piancavallo twice – 14.4km at 8.9%. The race will be over by the second time up.
The 2026 Giro finishes once again in Rome, after the riders have made it down from the very northeast of Italy. It will be a spritn.
