For the 15th time in its 109 editions, the Giro d'Italia will start on foreign soil in 2026, this time heading east to the Balkan nation of Bulgaria. A surprising choice at first glance, and this has not been a Grande Partenza without challenges, but Bulgaria is a nation with a history in the sport as long as the Giro itself.
With its Black Sea coastal plains to the east and high mountains to the west, Bulgaria will provide a varied opening three stages to kick off the Giro d'Italia, but the story of this start goes far beyond the route itself.
