Giro d’Italia 2026: here is the male and female route through the beauties of the country (and in memory of the earthquake in Friuli)

The 109th edition of the Giro d’Italia has been officially presented and will start from abroad in 2026, for the sixteenth time in the history of the men’s pink race, precisely from Bulgaria. The departure is set for May 8th and, after 3,459 kilometers and 50,000 meters of altitude difference, the big arrival will be in Rome on May 31st. The first three stages on Bulgarian soil will cross breathtaking landscapes, from the Black Sea to the inland mountains, already offering the first tactical ideas for the runners. The race will touch some of the most iconic Italian cities, such as Naples, Milan and Rome, and will be an opportunity to celebrate the naturalistic and historical beauties of the country.

Stages and routes: plain, medium and high mountains

The route includes eight flat, seven medium mountain and five high mountain stages, with a total of seven uphill finishes. The only individual time trial will be 40.2 km long, from Viareggio to Massa, designed to test the skills of the great specialists. The first pink jersey will probably be the prerogative of a sprinter, but already from the first stages, such as the 220km Bulgarian section Burgas–Veliko Tarnovo with the passage over the Vratnik Pass, important selections will be seen.

Italy protagonist from South to North

The return to Italy will be marked by the Catanzaro–Cosenza stage, followed by the long Praia a Mare–Potenza stage of 204 km, characterized by a GPM 50 km from the finish. The caravan will then touch the magnificent site of Paestum and Naples, before the first big climb to the Blockhaus in Abruzzo on its most feared side, 246 km of pure mountain that promises spectacle.

The subsequent stages, such as the Fermo–Corno alle Scale where we return 22 years after Gilberto Simoni’s victory in 2004, will feature the typical Marche walls and climbs that will put the general classification to the test, while the Tuscan time trial from Viareggio to Massa (the Bartali Stage of this edition) will favor specialists such as our Pippo Ganna and Remco Evenepoel, highly anticipated but who has not yet confirmed his presence at the start.

The Alps and the return to Milan

The Giro will continue through Liguria and Piedmont, with treacherous arrivals in Chiavari, Novi Ligure and Verbania, before a real Alpine stage from Aosta to Pila with five climbs in 133 km. Milan will return to host the race in the 15th stage for the 90th time, with a final 10km city circuit to be repeated four times, ideal for a group sprint. The final part of the Giro will offer an excursion to Switzerland, with the Bellinzona–Carì stage entirely in Swiss territory, followed by the Cassano d’Adda–Andalo hamlet and the return to Veneto with the famous Ca’ del Poggio Wall.

Grand finale and iconic stages in the Dolomites

The 151km Feltre–Alleghe Dolomite stage will be the culmination of the effort, with five challenging climbs, including Cima Coppi, Passo Giau, and the final climb to Piani di Pezzè, a way to pay homage to the champion Marco Pantani who won the Giro d’Italia Dilettanti here in 1992.

The penultimate stage on May 6th, Gemona del Friuli–Piancavallo, will remember the tragic earthquake that occurred on May 6th 1976 60 years later, combining history and sport. The final catwalk will be in Rome which will celebrate the winner and the final podium of the race with eight laps through the Imperial Fora.

Giro d’Italia Women 2026: the women’s Corsa Rosa

Yesterday the route of the 2026 Giro Donne was also presented with an unprecedented innovation: the Giro Men will in fact be the driving force behind the women’s one which will start on May 30th from Cesenatico and end on June 7th in Saluzzo, in order to give even more prominence to this already very popular race.

The women’s edition will consist of nine stages – one more than in 2024 and 2025 – with 1,153.7 km and 12,500 meters of altitude difference. There will be two uphill finishes: the Belluno–Nevegal time trial and the spectacular Rivoli–Sestriere, which will see the athletes tackle the famous Colle delle Finestre (which will also be the Cima Alfonsina Strada) for the first time with its stretch of dirt road which last year saw the winner of the Giro delle Men, Simon Yates. The outgoing champion is our Elisa Longo Borghini who will also be among the main protagonists vying to wear the final pink jersey in 2026.

An edition not to be missed

In short, the 2026 Giro d’Italia – both men’s and women’s – will combine sporting spectacle, history and culture: from the Black Sea to the Italian mountains, passing through iconic cities and symbolic stages, such as Gemona del Friuli, Milan and Rome. A race that celebrates Italy in its entirety, offering enormous emotions to fans and cycling enthusiasts and beyond.

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