Here’s our first look at the 2026 Giro d’Italia route – starting with 3 stages in Bulgaria, entering the Italian soil via Calabria in the south, then working it’s way back and forth as it climbs the boot, to the traditional mountainous final week that spikes from west to east, before a long transfer to the final stage in Rome. We’ll have a PEZ closer look coming soon to help make sense of it all – but let’s start with this press release from RCS.
The Corsa Rosa will start abroad for the 16th time – from Bulgaria, where the first three stages will take place – and will finish in Rome (hosting the Grande Arrivo for the eighth time) after 3,459 km with 50,000 metres of elevation gain. The menu for the 109th edition features one 40.2 km individual time trial, eight flat stages, seven medium-mountain stages and five high-mountain stages, with seven summit finishes. These are the challenges the riders will face from Friday 8 to Sunday 31 May. The Cima Coppi of this Giro will be the Passo Giau at 2,233 metres.There will be a foray into Switzerland with a stage held entirely on Swiss territory from Bellinzona to Carì. Milan will host a stage finish for the 90th time. With the start from Gemona del Friuli (1976–2026), the Giro will commemorate the disastrous earthquake of 50 years ago. The Montagna Pantani will be Piani di Pezzè, while the Tappa Bartali, entirely in Tuscany, will be the time trial from Viareggio to Massa.
Watch the video presentation…
BULGARIAN GRANDE PARTENZA
Three stages with several pitfalls, especially the second, will serve as the appetizer for the Corsa Rosa in Bulgaria. The first stage starts and finishes on the Black Sea coast, from Nessebar to Burgas, and will award the first Maglia Rosa. The race then sets off from Burgas to reach Veliko Tarnovo after a demanding 220 km, featuring a final climb of 3.5 km at 7.5%. The final stage in Bulgaria will finish in the capital Sofia, once again favouring the sprinters, starting from Plovdiv.
FIRST WEEK
After the first rest day on Monday 11 May, the return to Italy is followed by stages that may suit the sprinters, though not necessarily for a full bunch finish, alternating with mountain stages. The race heads north up the peninsula, with the first summit finish at Blockhaus via its most feared side (Roccamorice). The week ends with the “Muri” stage to Fermo and the Apennine summit finish at Corno alle Scale, which returns 22 years after Gilberto Simoni’s victory in 2004.
SECOND WEEK
Second rest day on Monday 18 May. Racing resumes with a 40.2 km individual time trial entirely in Tuscany, from Viareggio to Massa – the Tappa Bartali of this edition. Three more stages follow, alternating demanding finales with bunch sprints, in preparation for the weekend in the Aosta Valley, where the peloton heads to Pila (back for the first time in over 30 years) with a brutal 133 km stage featuring more than 4,400 m of elevation gain. Sunday is expected to be a sprint finish in Milan, which will host the 90th stage finish in its history.
THIRD WEEK
The third week begins with a bang thanks to the very short but extremely intense stage held entirely in Switzerland, from Bellinzona to Carì. Two mixed stages serve as a warm-up for the final two very tough days. The Dolomite queen stage links Feltre with Piani di Pezzè (another historic return, after Marco Pantani’s victory at the 1992 Giro d’Italia for amateurs). The route tackles the Duran, Staulanza (with the Coi variant), Giau (Cima Coppi) and Falzarego passes, retracing some of the Giro’s most iconic roads. The following day, the Corsa Rosa commemorates the devastating Friuli earthquake (6 May 1976), passing through the affected area before climbing Piancavallo twice, which will decide the final general classification. Grande Arrivo in Rome with the traditional parade circuit through the Eternal City.
NUMBERS & FACTS
- 3.459 km total distance
- 50.000 m elevation gain
- 16 foreign Grande Partenza in Giro history
- 8 Grande Arrivo in Rome
- 40.2 km of individual time trialling
- 90 stage finishes in Milan
- Passo Giau as Cima Coppi for the 4th time (after 1973 – José Manuel Fuente; 2011 – Stefano Garzelli; 2021 – Egan Bernal)
Rome, 1 December 2025 – At the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone in Rome, the routes of the 109th Giro d’Italia, scheduled from 8 to 31 May, and of the Giro d’Italia Women, starting on 30 May and finishing on 7 June, were presented.
There will be two summit finishes: Stage 4, Belluno–Nevegal Tudor ITT, and Stage 8, Rivoli–Sestriere, which will not only feature the final ascent but will also see the riders tackle the Colle delle Finestre for the first time in the history of the race, this year’s Cima Alfonsina Strada.
The presentation was hosted by Pierluigi Pardo and Barbara Pedrotti, with interviews from the audience conducted by Paolo Pacchioni of RTL 102.5, the official radio station of the Giro d’Italia Women. Numerous well-known figures from sport, entertainment, institutions and partner companies attended the event. Those taking part on stage included, among others, the most recent winners in the men’s and women’s races, Simon Yates and Elisa Longo Borghini, as well as two-time Giro winner Vincenzo Nibali.
Among the authorities in attendance was a Bulgarian delegation composed of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh, and Minister of Sport and Youth Policies Ivan Peshev. Representing Italian institutions via video message was Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; In attendance were Luciano Buonfiglio, President of CONI; Cordiano Dagnoni, President of the Italian Cycling Federation; Roberto Pella, President of the Professional Cycling League; and Matteo Zoppas, President of ICE.
Doing the honours as host was Alessandro Onorato, Councillor for Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion of Roma Capitale. Senior RCS Group executives were also present: Urbano Cairo, President of RCS MediaGroup; Paolo Bellino, CEO of RCS Sports & Events; Mauro Vegni, Director of the Giro d’Italia; and Stefano Barigelli, Editor-in-Chief of La Gazzetta dello Sport.
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