The most important information about the 12th stage of the Giro d'Italia 2026
- Thursday, 21 May: Imperia - Novi Ligure
- 175 kilometres, 2250 vertical metres (flat)
- 2 mountain classifications: KM 107.5 (3rd category), KM 123.0 (2nd category)
- Intermediate sprint KM 100.7
- Red Bull Kilometres: KM 161.6
- Start: 13:05, finish: approx. 17:14
- Live ticker and results
The route of the 12th stage of the Tour of Italy
The 12th stage initially remains in Liguria and begins in Imperia. The stage first makes a detour into the hinterland of the coastal strip, but returns to the Ligurian Sea at Albenga and then follows the Milan-Sanremo route for a few kilometres - albeit in the opposite direction.
At Savona, the course turns from east to north, heading back inland into the Piedmont region. At the end of the second third of the 175-kilometre route, which is predominantly flat, there are two 3rd category mountain classifications to cross.
After that, the terrain is initially sloping before some slight undulations have to be passed on slightly smaller paths. In Novi Ligure, however, the peloton returns to well-maintained roads. The stage comes to an end near the Museum of Champions, which preserves the careers of Fausto Coppi and Costante Girardengo as well as Giro history and general cycling history and is considered the largest cycling museum in Europe.
Sporting assessment of the 12th stage of the Giro d'Italia 2026
For exactly one week, the sprinters had to struggle through medium-difficulty stages, mountain finishes and time trials without being allowed to excel in their speciality. But now it's their turn again. In Novi Ligure, where a Giro stage ended for the fifth time, Caleb Ewan won the last stage of 2019.
Even the two 3rd category mountain classifications will not stop the fast men from letting off steam on the finishing straight. It also - finally, some will say - comes without chicanes, cobblestones or other obstacles. The home straight is 2800 metres long. Slightly uphill, but that doesn't stop a sprint royale.
