The Giro d'Italia 2026 will be the race's 108th edition. The prestigious three-week, 21-stage event is the opener in the trio of Grand Tours, followed by the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España.
Starting on 8 May 2026, the Corsa Rosa has its Grande Partenza - or big start - in Bulgaria for the first time in its history. After three days on Bulgarian soil the route returns to Italy, where the top GC contenders will battle it out for the prestigious maglia rosa, or pink jersey.
The contenders for the Giro are yet to be properly revealed, but Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) has hinted he might have a crack at the Italian Grand Tour, to complete his set. Remco Evenepoel (soon Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) might also race, as well as defending champion Simon Yates (Visma-Lease a Bike).
The Giro can often see an eclectic mix of riders, with many opting out of the year's first Grand Tour to concentrate on a tilt at the Tour de France.
It's not just the GC action that is mouthwatering, with a host of sprinters and puncheurs to look out for.
This year, Cycling Weekly will be covering the race with daily race reports, reactions following each stage, and analysis as the Italian showdown progresses.
Read more: Giro d'Italia 2026 route
Giro d'Italia 2026: Key details
Date |
8 - 31 May |
Total distance |
3459km |
Number of stages |
21 |
Start location |
Nessebar, Bulgaria |
Finish location |
Rome, Italy |
UCI ranking |
WorldTour |
Edition |
109th |
Total climbing / elevation gain |
49,150m |
Leader's jersey colour |
Pink (Maglia Rosa) |
Last winner |
Simon Yates (GBr) |
TV coverage (UK) |
TNT Sports |
TV coverage (US) |
Max |
Giro d'Italia 2026: The route
The Giro d'Italia 2026 begins with three stages in Bulgaria, as already announced, starting on 8 May, before 18 stages from the south to the north of Italy, via Naples, the Apennines, Milan, the Alps and the Dolomites. The 109th Giro finishes in Rome on 31 May.
Read more: Giro d'Italia 2026 route
Giro d'Italia 2026: Stage-by-stage table
Stage |
Day |
Start |
Finish |
Distance |
Terrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
8 May |
Nessebar (Bulgaria) |
Burgas (Bulgaria) |
156km |
Flat |
2 |
9 May |
Burgas (Bulgaria) |
Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria) |
220km |
Hilly |
3 |
10 May |
Plovdiv (Bulgaria) |
Sofia (Bulgaria) |
174km |
Flat |
4 |
12 May |
Catanzaro |
Cosenza |
144km |
Flat |
5 |
13 May |
Praia a Mare |
Potenza |
204km |
Hilly |
6 |
14 May |
Paestum |
Napoli |
161km |
Flat |
7 |
15 May |
Formia |
Blockhaus |
246km |
Mountains |
8 |
16 May |
Chieti |
Fermo |
159km |
Medium mountains |
9 |
17 May |
Cervia |
Corno alle Scale |
184km |
Mountains |
10 |
19 May |
Viareggio |
Massa |
40.2km |
ITT |
11 |
20 May |
Porcari |
Chiavari |
178km |
Hilly |
12 |
21 May |
Imperia |
Novi Ligure |
177km |
Flat |
13 |
22 May |
Alessandria |
Verbania |
186km |
Hilly |
14 |
23 May |
Aosta |
Pila |
133km |
Mountains |
15 |
24 May |
Voghera |
Milan |
136km |
Flat |
16 |
26 May |
Bellinzona (Switzerland) |
Carì (Switzerland) |
113km |
Mountains |
17 |
27 May |
Cassano d'Adda |
Andalo |
100km |
Hilly |
18 |
28 May |
Fai della Paganella |
Pieve di Soligo |
166km |
Hilly |
19 |
29 May |
Feltre |
Alleghe |
151km |
Mountains |
20 |
30 May |
Gemona del Friuli |
Piancavallo |
199km |
Mountains |
21 |
31 May |
Rome |
Rome |
131km |
Flat |
Giro d'Italia 2026: The jerseys
The rider wearing the pink jersey (maglia rosa) leads the general classification. This is the rider who has accumulated the fastest time around the route so far, inclusive of time bonuses collected. On the final day, it is awarded to the overall general classification winner along with the Trofeo Senza Fine.
There are other jerseys up for grabs too. The purple (ciclamino) jersey is awarded to the rider who has accumulated the most points. More points are offered at the end of flatter, punchier stages than on mountain finishes, so this is a jersey for the sprinters. The blue (azzura) jersey goes to the rider who accumulates the most points on classified climbs, and the white (bianca) jersey is like the pink jersey but given to the best young rider under 26.
Read about the Giro d'Italia jerseys here.
More about the Giro d'Italia 2026
- Giro d'Italia 2026 route
- Giro d'Italia jerseys
- How much prize money does the winner of the Giro d'Italia get?
- How to watch the Giro d'Italia
Giro d'Italia: Past winners
Year |
Winner |
Country |
Team |
2025 |
Simon Yates |
Great Britain |
Visma-Lease a Bike |
2024 |
Tadej Pogačar |
Slovenia |
UAE Team Emirates |
2023 |
Primož Roglič |
Slovenia |
Jumbo-Visma |
2022 |
Jai Hindley |
Australia |
Bora-Hansgrohe |
2021 |
Egan Bernal |
Colombia |
Ineos Grenadiers |
2020 |
Tao Geoghegan Hart |
UK |
Ineos Grenadiers |
2019 |
Richard Carapaz |
Ecuador |
Movistar |
2018 |
Chris Froome |
UK |
Team Sky |
2017 |
Tom Dumoulin |
Netherlands |
Sunweb |
2016 |
Vincenzo Nibali |
Italy |
Astana |
2015 |
Alberto Contador |
Spain |
Tinkoff-Saxo |
2014 |
Nairo Quintana |
Colombia |
Movistar |
2013 |
Vincenzo Nibali |
Italy |
Astana |
