Welcome to the presentation of the 2026 Giro d’Italia! Team UBS’ Merhawi Kudus was the 2025 winner, with Damiano Cunego being the absolute record holder with 6 overall wins between 2007 and 2014. Last year we saw a very Italian Giro ,but this year it will definitely be a bit more international. The team’s logistic employees can already start planning and organising, because it will certainly be some very stressful months coming up for them. Let’s get into detail!
La Grande Partenza: Greece!
Spoiler
The news it out, this year’s Giro d’Italia will start in Greece! Just like for the Vuelta we’re going to an island, this time it’s Crete. The sprinters will be happy to see that they have the first chance of grabbing the pink jersey this season, as a flat stage takes them from Chania to Heraklion. The riders will then stay in Heraklion, as on day two, there will be a 15,9km long time trial there. Long enough to already create some interesting gaps.
Just like in the Vuelta, having three different riders wear the leader’s jersey for three days seems like a real possibility, as we finish the Greek opening weekend with a good old fashioned mountain stage. Starting in Tymbaki and with going up and down all day, the final climb(s) to Akones should already separate the wheat from the chaff.
Finishing Week 1: Sprinter’s chances?
Spoiler
After a rest and travel day, the peloton will continue this Giro with a flat stage of over 200 kilometres, bringing them from Sapri to Tropea. The day after, on stage five, we continue in the South of Italy with the second mountain stage already, finishing on the mythical Etna. Stage six is yet another long stage, as the hilly stage from Sulmona to Lago Laceno is around 230 kilometres long. At first glance it looks like this is a stage for one of the more hybrid puncheurs, and not your Kelderman type of riders.
The next three stages all offer chances for sprinters as well. First, we go from Atripalda to Salerno, and although there is quite some undulation in the first half of the stage, the second half seems to be easy enough for sprinters to hold on, and their teams to catch the breakaway. Stage eight, the Napoli – Napoli criterium, is short and has some easier cobbled sectors for the riders. It’s rated hilly, but we can imagine a strong sprinter could survive this as well. To end the week, there is another flat stage from Foiano di Valfortore to Francavilla al Mare. Once again with some up an down at the start, but then what seems to be more than enough flat road to have the sprinters succeed.
Finishing Week 2: Abroad once more
Spoiler
The riders continue their journey north at the start of week 2, and the start of the week is far from easy. On the menu are some Appenine climbs. In stage 10, the finish is on the Blockhaus, which is definitely not the first time in Giro history. Stage 11 is a little bit easier, but still finishes with the climb up to Marsia from Tagliacozzo, where differences can definitely be made as well.
The riders then head eastwards towards the Adriatic Sea for a pan flat stage starting in Ravenna and finishing in Chioggia. And the day after, the riders continue northwards to Tolmezzo, for a hilly criterium. Seems like another interesting stage for a (really) strong sprinter or breakaway as well. Tolmezzo is close to the Slovenian border, and after stage 13, the riders are ready to cross another border.
But it’s not just the Slovenian one, as we go a bit further. The two days before the final rest day are all about Croatia! First, another hilly stage, finishing uphill, going from Krk to Labin, and on stage 15 another pan flat stage for the sprinters, which leads the peloton from Samobor to the capital city of Zagreb. The Croatian influence in MG has been steadily growing over the last couple of season with the arrival of Cedevita and now Parmalat – Croatia as well, and it seems like the country’s tourism/sports board is ready to invest into more visibility as well, adding two stages to this Giro.
Finishing Week 3: Decision time
Spoiler
In the final six stages, we go back to the north of Italy for what will be the decision of this Giro d’Italia. Stage 19 offers the sprinters one final chance in a flat stage from Torino to Milano, but the other stages are all about climbing.
Stages 16 and 17 offer various climbs and finishes on the infamous Monte Bondone and Monte Zoncolan, whereas stage 18 finishes downhill in Cortina d’Ampezzo, but has a lot of climbing throughout the day, with the stage also being around 225 kilometres long.
The penultimate stage brings the riders from Courmayeur to Champoluc with 4 big climbs along the way, and the finish also on an uphill section. And to finish this Giro, the riders will have to conquer to Passo dello Stelvio all by themselves in an excruciating MTT of 21 kilometres.
So, definitely some minutes to be won or lost in this final week, which can give us a new leader even on the final stage. The trips to Greece and Croatia might be fun for some of the (local) fans, but the riders seem to be looking ahead towards a hard Giro d’Italia. We hope to see you all soon in the first (PT) GT of the season!
Looks like TT's are just as out out of fashion in MG GTs as in real life now! Another one for the climbers. My plans for Carthy may be shifting as we speak...
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
The profile does not do Stage 3 justice that 2nd to last climb is an absolute wall at 20%+ probably the most brutal Grand Depart stage in history and an epic route
Seeing the amount of climbing here I'm glad I won't have to ride those stages myself. Now it's just a matter of convincing the riders it's not a penalty if they have to ride here ...
