Giro d'Italia 2026: Preview stage 18: Next false friend for the sprinters

The most important information about the 18th stage of the Giro d'Italia 2026

• Thursday, 28 May: Fai della Paganella - Pieve di Soligo
• 171 kilometres, 2050 vertical metres (flat)
• 2 mountain classifications: KM 87.7 (3rd cat), KM 161.7 (4th cat)
• Intermediate sprint KM 135.4
• Red Bull Kilometres: KM 154.3
• Start: 13:15, finish: approx. 17:18
• Live ticker and results

The route of the 18th stage of the Tour of Italy

The 171-kilometre stage leads from Trentino to Veneto and is the last stage that can be considered flat before the final day. The day begins in the Adige Valley, which is mainly orientated towards the west and remains predominantly in the valleys. The peloton does not reach more than 500 metres above sea level.

But the route is rarely really flat. Apart from the first 20 kilometres, the route is either slightly undulating or even somewhat downhill. The last quarter is again characterised by lots of ups and downs. The biggest wave awaits ten kilometres before the finish. The uphill classification at the Muro die Ca' del Poggio is 1100 metres long, but has an average gradient of more than twelve per cent and almost 20 per cent at the top.

Apart from the slightly uphill finishing straight, the last few kilometres are again rather downhill, sometimes even winding.

Sporting assessment of the 18th stage of the Giro d'Italia 2026

Pieve di Soligo is a new destination in the Giro programme. Less revolutionary is the route of the stage race. Once again, a hill awaits just before the finish that will make it incredibly difficult or even impossible for the sprinters to compete for the stage win.

The 1000 metres with double-digit gradients will be too much for Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step), Jonathan Milan (Lidl - Trek) and Dylan Groenewegen (Unibet Rose Rockets), as the course of the race has shown. For the GC riders, the wave should be irrelevant with a view to the two upcoming high mountain days, the aim is to save energy. And so, once again, it smells like a large group will make it to the finish together. One name that won't be missing from this group is probably Jhonatan Narvaez (UAE Team Emirates - XRG), who is still hoping for the Maglia Ciclamino and could gain a decisive advantage here.