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The 2026 Giro d’Italia Route

The 2026 Giro d’Italia route was announced in Rome on Monday 1 December.

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2026 Giro d’Italia Route Details

Dates: Friday 8 May – 31 May 2026
Distance: 3,459 km | Elevation Gain: ~50,000m
Stages: 8 flat | 7 medium-mountain | 5 high-mountain | 7 summit finishes | 1 individual time trial (40.2 km)
Grande Partenza: Bulgaria (first 3 stages)
Grande Arrivo: Rome (traditional parade finish)
Cima Coppi (highest point): Passo Giau (2,233 m) on Stage 19
Rest Days: Monday 11 May (Calabria), Monday 18 May (Tuscany) and Monday 25 May (Milan)

The Key Stages of the 2026 Giro d’Italia

Friday 15 May – Sunday 17 May – Stages 7, 8 and 9 – the first showdown

These three stages before the rest day in Tuscany present the first big test for the GC contenders. Stage 7 between Formia – Blockhaus is an incredibly tough stage for both distance and elevation at 246km with 4,600m of elevation gain. Stage 8 between Chieti and Fermo is characterised by short, sharp climbs. Stage 9 finishes on Corno alle Scale and includes 2,400 metres of elevation in just the final 30 kilometres.

Tuesday 19 May – Stage 10 – Time Trial
This 40km individual time trial on the Tuscan coast will allow the GC contenders who are good against the clock to put additional seconds into their climbing specialist rivals.
Saturday 23 May – Stage 14 – Short but Sharp in the Alps
The most important stage of the second week of the Giro. This stage in the Aosta Valley on the border with France features an enormous amount of climbing. A whopping 4400m in just 133km.

The Final Week

Stage 16 on Tuesday 26 May after the final rest day takes place entirely in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. From Bellinzona to a summit finish in Carì up to the summit at 1650 above sea level.

Friday 29 May – Stage 19 – the Dolomites epic from Feltre to Piani di Pezzè
After two transition stages (stages 17 and 18), comes the queen stage. A legendary sequence awaits: Passo Duran, Coi, Forcella Staulanza, the mythical and brutal Passo Giau, Cima Coppi Highest point) of this Giro at 2233m and Passo Falzarego before the final, explosive climb to Piani di Pezzè. This stage guarantees glory… and heartbreak.

Saturday 30 May – Stage 20 – the final reckoning
Stage 20, from Gemona del Friuli to Piancavallo, with the final climb of Piancavallo tackled twice.

Stage by Stage

Friday 8 May – Stage 1 – Nessebar – Burgas

The first Pink Jersey will likely go to a sprinter today. As the 2026 Giro d’Italia gets underway the peloton visits Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast no doubt to highlight the country’s tourism hotspots. Burgas sees a 12-kilometre finishing circuit which is always good for spectating.

Saturday 9 May – Stage 2 – Burgas – Veliko Tarnovo

A long stage today at 220 kilometres that could see some break away action. There are two climbs in the middle of the stage that offer opportunities to get away from the pack. The final climb is crested at 8 kilometres from the finish.

Sunday 10 May – Stage 3 – Plovdiv to Sofia

The final stage in Bulgaria between Plovdiv and Sofia is likely to fall prey to the sprinters. The only hope for break away success would be the long mid-stage climb to Borovets.

Monday 11 May – Rest Day

The UCI has authorised an extra rest day for the riders to fly from Bulgaria to the Italian mainland.

Tuesday 12 May – Stage 4 – Catanzaro – Cosenza

We’re back racing on Italian soil today after the Grande Partenza in Bulgaria and the extra rest day to fly back to Italy. From today the Giro starts its steady process of making its way up north. This is a short sprint stage with only one climb of note.

Wednesday 13 May – Stage 5 – Praia a Mare – Potenza

Starting on the coast in Praia a Mare on the Tyrrhenian coast today’s stage is long at 202 kilometres and packs in a lot of climbing in the southern hills of Italy. The finish is in a central location in the Apennines where the riders will tackle a tough finish climb in Potenza.

Thursday 14 May – Stage 6 – Paestum – Napoli

Greek temples, a volcano and the Napoli seafront. Gelato anyone? Paestum is an excellent day trip location from Naples with incredible Greek temples and artwork in the museum. The stage starts near the Greek temples before skirting the Vesuvius volcano and a 23-kilometre circuit in Naples until a finish on the beautiful Naples seafront.

Suggested stay in the area
Two nights in Naples – Wednesday 13 May & Thursday 14 May
Start – 80km from Naples
Finish – 0km from Naples.

Friday 15 May – Stage 7 – Formia – Blockhaus

A crazy long stage at nearly 250 kilometres long with 4600 metres of climbing and a finish at Monte Blockhaus at 1650 metres altitude in the Appenines. The name comes from the German for ‘blockhouse’ as this used to be an outpost built by German soldiers in the second half of the 19th century. The riders will go up Blockhaus from the hardest side.

One night in Naples, One night in Pescara – Thursday 14 May & Friday 15 May
Start – 80km from Naples
Finish – 60km from Pescara

Saturday 16 May – Stage 8 – Chieti – Fermo

Race organisers RCS rely on their experiences from another one of their races; Tirreno-Adriatico with the short and steep climbs called ‘muri’ (walls). A short loop around Fermo closes the stage with climbs up to Fermo and Capodarco before finishing in the town of Fermo.

One night in Pescara, One night in Fermo – Friday 15 May & Saturday 16 May
Start – 18km from Pescara
Finish – 0km from Fermo

Sunday 17 May – Stage 9 – Cervia – Corno alle Scale

We’re in Marco Pantani country today. Cervia is next to Cesenatico where the controversial Italian cycling hero was born. The Giro d’Italia Women will start here on Saturday 30 May so in just two weeks’ time from this stage. After a flat lead into Bologna, the riders tackle the Apennines. The final 30 kilometres are brutal with 2400 metres of climbing packed in. The final climb up to Corno alle Scale is mega steep.

Two nights in Bologna – Saturday 16 May & Sunday 17 May
Start – 10km from Cesenatico/ 100km from Bologna
Finish – 80km from Bologna/ 110km from Lucca

Monday 18 May – Rest Day in Tuscany

Tuesday 19 May – Stage 10 – Viareggio – Massa TUDOR ITT

This is quite a long Individual Time Trial at 40 kilometres so the time trial specialists can gain some time today. The route is fast and flat within view of the Tuscan coastline. Today the ‘Chrono Experience’ is available with Sportive Breaks where you can follow your favourite rider on the Time Trial course in an official Giro car.

Two nights in Lucca – Monday 18 May & Tuesday 19 May
Start – 30km from Lucca
Finish – 50km from Lucca

Wednesday 20 May – Stage 11 – Porcari (Paper District) – Chiavari

After the second rest day in Tuscany and the Time Trial the race continues its journey north along the Tuscan coast. The riders tackle this hilly stage that’s just short of 180 kilometres long. The stage is full of hilly terrain with a few ‘Passos’ and ‘Colles’ on the way before the finish on the coast in Chiavari just 50km south of Genoa.

One night in Lucca, One night in Genoa – Tuesday 19 May & Wednesday 20 May
Start – 9km from Lucca
Finish – 50km from Genoa

Thursday 21 May – Stage 12 – Imperia – Novi Ligure

Milan Sanremo is one of the 5 Monuments that is also organised by race organisers RCS. They also organise Il Lombardia and the Giro d’Italia features ‘tribute stages’ on a regular basis. This stage looks like a Milan Sanremo in reverse. It starts near Sanremo and heads towards Milan. The difficulties are the reverse with Colle Giovo and the Bric Berton featuring in place of the Passo del Turchino. Unlike Milan Sanremo in recent years, we expect a sprinter to be successful today.

Two nights in Genoa – Wednesday 20 May & Thursday 21 May
Start – 80km from Genoa
Finish – 120km from Genoa

Friday 22 May 2026 – Stage 13 – Alessandria – Verbania

Today’s stage skirts around Milan and heads to Lake Maggiore in the Alpine foothills close to the border with Switzerland. The route starts off flat as it goes past the rice fields. Two late and steep climbs have views of Lake Maggiore and could make the difference today and scupper the sprinters.

Two nights in Milan – Thursday 21 May & Friday 22 May
Start – 100km from Milan
Finish – 100km from Milan

Saturday 23 May 2026 – Stage 14 – Aosta – Pila

Aosta is just across the border from France. Nip over the Col de Petit Saint Bernard past the ski resort of La Rosiere and after just 60 kilometres you are in Bourg Saint Maurice. Today’s stage will be going high into the Aosta Valley. The stage is just 133 kilometres in length but a whopping 4400 metres will be climbed today and the finish at Pila is at almost 1800m altitude. As Pila is just 20km out of Aosta it is possible to stay at the same hotel for two nights.

Two nights in Aosta – Friday 22 May & Saturday 23 May
Start/ Finish – 100km from Geneva. 70km from Turin.

Sunday 24 May
2026 – Stage 15 – Voghera – Milano

Today’s stage is 136 kilometres long and looks like a ready-made opportunity for one of the fast men in the peloton. The race finishes with four laps of a Milan city centre circuit close to the Vigorelli Velodrome.

Two nights in Milan – Saturday 23 May & Sunday 24 May
Start – 80km from Milan
Finish – 0km from Milan

Monday 25 May 2026 – Rest Day

Tuesday 26 May 2026 – Stage 16 – Bellinzona to Cari (Switzerland)

After the third and final rest day near Milan the riders tackle a short but intense stage in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. The riders tackle the Leonticas climb twice mid-stage. The finish is at the ski resort of Carì ski situated at 1650m altitude.

Two nights in Lugano – Monday 27 May & Tuesday 28 May
Start – 30km from Lugano
Finish – 80km from Cari

Wednesday 27 May 2026 – Stage 17 – Cassano d’Adda to Andalo

This is a transition or breakaway stage before the riders hit the final high mountains. Possibly the last opportunity for the sprinters.

One night in Milan, one night in Trento – Tuesday 26 May & Wednesday 27 May
Start – 0km to Milan
Finish – 40km from Trento

Thursday 28 May 2026 – Stage 18 – Fai della Paganella – Pieve di Soligo

Stage 18 heads into the Prosecco hills. The only hurdle on the route is Ca’ del Poggio which comes at 10 kilometres from the finish.

One night in Trento, one night in Asolo – Wednesday 27 May & Thursday 28 May
Start – 0km to Trento
Finish – 30km from Treviso

Friday 29 May 2026 – Stage 19 – Queen Stage – Feltre to Alleghe

This stage packs in a whopping 5000 metres and it also features the Cima Coppi (highest point of the race) with the Passo Giau and its 2233 metres peak.

Two nights in Belluno – Thursday 28 May & Friday 29 May
Start – 30km to Belluno
Finish – 50km from Belluno

Saturday 30 May 2026 – Stage 20 – Gemona del Friuli – Piancavallo

The penultimate stage of the 2026 Giro d’Italia has been designed to delay the outcome of the race until the very last minute. The 14km long Piancavallo climb will be scaled twice within the final 60 kilometres of the race.

Two nights in Udine – Friday 29 May & Saturday 30 May
Start – 40km to Udine
Finish – 75km from Udine

Sunday 31 May 2026 – Stage 21 – Roma – Roma

Beautiful photos are guaranteed with the Eternal City as a backdrop for the riders. The final stage reaches the sea before returning to the city centre for nine finishing circuits around the Roman ruins of the Fori Imperiale and the Colosseum. There will be some bone shaking cobbles to negotiate before the sprint finish. You will see the riders lots of times from the official hospitality venues on the finishing straight.

Two nights in Rome – Saturday 30 May & Sunday 31 May

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