Giro d'Italia 2026: Preview stage 11: Challenging finale for stage hunters

The most important information about the 11th stage of the Giro d'Italia 2026

• Wednesday, 20 May: Porcari - Chiavari
• 195 kilometres, 2850 metres in altitude (mountainous)
• 3 mountain classifications: KM 115.9 (3rd cat), KM 135.7 (2nd cat), KM 167.1 (3rd cat)
• Intermediate sprint KM 68.0
• Red Bull Kilometres: KM 182.4
• Start: 12:20 pm, finish: approx. 5:16 pm
• Live ticker and results

The route of the 11th stage of the Tour of Italy

No need to change hotels. The Giro remains in the Viareggio area, where the time trial started the day before. The second half of the 195-kilometre Tour of Italy begins in Porcari, less than 40 kilometres away. Initially, the route is flat again along the coast of the Ligurian Sea to the west, including through Massa, where the battle against the clock ended the day before.

From La Spezia onwards, altitude metres and mountain classifications come into play, although the route remains close to the water. Over the Passo del Termine (3rd category) and the Colle di Guaitarola (2nd category). This is followed by a long descent before the last 40 kilometres become very demanding again. At the mountain classification at Colla dei Scioli (3rd category), the last two kilometres have an average gradient of ten per cent. Then it's straight back up to Cogorno. Although the climb is steep, it is not categorised. Instead, the Red Bull kilometre is taken at the top.

From there it's another 14 kilometres to the finish. Only a small wave in the last 5000 metres adds a few more metres in altitude. Right there, the finish town of Chiavari is reached, it gets twisty and therefore a little technical. However, the last kilometre is flat and straight again.

Sporting assessment of the 11th stage of the Giro d'Italia 2026

When a stage of the Giro ended in Chiavari for the first and so far only time, the tour was not yet 50 years old. Even otherwise, professional cyclists are only rarely guests. However, junior races have recently finished in the town, which could provide an exciting finale due to the approach.

The outcome of the stage is extremely uncertain. The finale would basically be difficult enough to be interesting for classification riders who want to make up a few seconds. However, as they have just raced all-out against the clock the day before, they may well hold back. At least those who are in the position they want to be in. Those who are already more behind than they would like could use the day to make up some ground with a risky manoeuvre.

It will probably be a day for stage hunters like Giulio Ciccone (Lidl - Trek), who has already made several attempts during the Giro but has never made it through. However, it will be difficult to win the stage from the group of the day. A late attack in the profiled part of the day increases the probability of victory.