The 109th edition of the Giro d'Italia 2026 will start on 8 May 2026 in Bulgaria and cover 3,459 kilometres to the Italian capital Rome. The 21 stages include a 40-kilometre individual time trial, the ride over the 2,233-metre-high Passo Giau and a total of seven mountain finishes.
The race for the pink jersey starts abroad for the 16th time. Next year on 8 May for the first time in Bulgaria. After three stages in Eastern Europe, the route for the professional cyclists leads to Italy. In total, the race will cover 21 stages, a total of 3,459 kilometres and 50,000 metres in altitude to the final stage in Rome. The next overall winner will be celebrated there in front of the Colosseum on 31 May 2026. There will also be a detour to Switzerland on the 16th stage.
At the 109th edition, the overall victory is likely to be decided in the 40.2 kilometre long and completely flat individual time trial between Viareggio and Massa (10th stage) and on two particularly difficult stages among the five high mountain stages. The 14th stage of the day leads over around 4,400 metres in altitude in the Aosta Valley to Pila. The Dolomites stage (19th) is comparably difficult with the highest point at Passo Giau at 2,233 metres, where the special Cima Coppi prize is awarded. The final stage in the battle for the pink jersey will be the double ascent to Piancavallo on the penultimate day of the Giro. This is followed by the flat lap of honour in front of the Colosseum in Rome. All maps and elevation profiles for the 21 stages can be found in our detailed route announcement.
Facts and figures at a glance
- 109th edition
- 3,459 km total distance
- Around 50,000 metres in altitude
- 16th foreign start - this time in Bulgaria
- 40.2 km individual time trial
- 2,233 metres - Passo Giau as the highest point (Cima Coppi)
- 7 mountain top finishes
In total, the organiser RCS has marked out eight flat stages, seven low mountain stages and five high mountain stages in the route plan. The professional cyclists have to tackle seven mountain finishes, including in Abbruzzo on the Blockhaus (7th stage) and Corno alle Scale (9th), in Pila in the Aosta Valley (14th), in Cari in Switzerland (16th), on Pian di Pezzé near Alleghe (19th) and in Piancavallo (20th).
The stages at a glance
08.05.2026 - 1st stage: Nessebar (Bulgaria) - Burgas (Bulgaria), 156 km
09.05.2026 - 2nd stage: Burgas (Bulgaria) - Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria), 220 km
10.05.2026 - 3rd stage: Plovdiv (Bulgaria) - Plovdiv (Bulgaria), 174 km
12.05.2026 - 4th stage: Catanzaro - Cosenza, 144 km
13.05.2026 - 5th stage: Praia a Mare - Potenza, 204 km
14.05.2026 - Stage 6: Paestum - Naples, 161 km
15.05.2026 - 7th stage: Formia - Blockhaus, 246 km
16.05.2026 - 8th stage: Chieti - Fermo, 159 km
17.05.2026 - 9th stage: Cervia - Corno alle Scale, 184 km
19.05.2026 - Stage 10: Viareggio - Massa (individual time trial), 40.2 km
20.05.2026 - Stage 11: Porcari - Chiavari, 178 km
21.05.2026 - 12th stage: Imperia - Novi Ligure, 177 km
22.05.2026 - 13th stage: Alessandria - Verbania, 186 km
23.05.2026- 14th stage: Aosta - Pila, 133 km
24.05.2026 - 15th stage: Voghera - Milan, 136 km
26.05.2026 - 16th stage: Bellinzona (Switzerland) - Carì (Switzerland), 113 km
27.05.2026 - 17th stage: Cassano d'Adda - Andalo, 200 km
28.05.2026 - 18th stage: Fai della Paganella - Pieve di Soligo, 167 km
29.05.2026 - 19th stage: Feltre - Alleghe (Piani di Pezzè), 151 km
30.05.2026 - 20th stage: Gemona del Friuli - Piancavallo, 199 km
31.05.2026 - 21st stage: Rome-Rome, 131 km
Andreas Kublik
Editor
