Pre race favourite Jonas Vingegaard finally moved into the leader's pink jersey on stage 14 with a third stage win in Pila. On stage 16 he took his fourth stage win - his first one in pink - and cemented his overall lead on Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) who now sits over four minutes back.
The Giro is now the Dane's to lose as he is just five stages away from becoming the fifth male rider to have won all three Grand Tours. Taking the lead so late in the race should mean he and his team have avoided the build up of fatigue that comes from defending the pink jersey. Baring disater, Gall looks like he will finish on the podium, while the third place looks set to be a battle between Netcompany's Thymen Arensman and 2022 winner Jai Hindley (Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe).
The 2026 Giro d'Italia started in Bulgaria the race's third foreign Grande Partenza in five years as organisers RCS continue to look beyond Italy's borders for places to host the race's opening weekend. The prestigious three-week, 21-stage race is the opener in the trio of Grand Tours, followed by the Tour de France in July and the Vuelta a España in August.
>>>> Giro d'Italia Women: Everything you need to know
Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) the two-time Tour de France winner won last year's Vuelta and so travels to the Giro looking to complete the set and become the eighth rider to do so.
Vingegaard's path to victory was made a little easier in the week's before the race as many other GC contenders including Joao Almeida, Richard Carapaz and Mikel Landa, pulled out, citing injury and illness. Their absence also paves the way for new riders to break through, like Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe's Giulio Pellizzari, recent winner of the Tour of the Alps.
It's not just the GC action to keep you watching through the full 21 stages, with a strong sprinting field assembled for the race, including Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quick-step) - who took two stages in the opening weekend, and Ethan Vernon (NSN Cycling).
This year, Cycling Weekly will be covering the race with daily race reports, reactions following each stage, and analysis as the Italian showdown progresses. Scroll down to find the latest news and stories from the race.
Read more: Giro d'Italia 2026 route | Giro d'Italia 2026 start list | Giro d'Italia 2026 contenders | Abandons
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 |
The peloton rides through Rome on Stage 21 of the Giro d'Italia 2024
Giro d'Italia 2026: The route
Giro d'Italia 2026 route. Image credit: RCS.
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 2926 start list | Giro d'Italia 2026 contenders
Giro d'Italia 2026: Stage-by-stage table
Stage | Day | Start | Finish | Distance | Terrain | Stage winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | |
Rest day | 11 May | Row 3 - Cell 2 | Row 3 - Cell 3 | Row 3 - Cell 4 | Row 3 - Cell 5 | Row 3 - Cell 6 |
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 | |
Rest day | 18 May | Row 10 - Cell 2 | Row 10 - Cell 3 | Row 10 - Cell 4 | Row 10 - Cell 5 | Row 10 - Cell 6 |
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 | |
Rest day | 25 May | Row 17 - Cell 2 | Row 17 - Cell 3 | Row 17 - Cell 4 | Row 17 - Cell 5 | Row 17 - Cell 6 |
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 | Sepp Kuss (USA) Visma Lease a Bike |
20 | 30 May | Gemona del Friuli | Piancavallo | 199km | Mountains | Row 22 - Cell 6 |
21 | 31 May | Rome | Rome | 131km | Flat | Row 23 - Cell 6 |
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 full route details
- Giro d'Italia 2026 startlist
- Giro d'Italia 2026 GC contenders
- Giro d'Italia jerseys
- How much prize money does the winner of the Giro d'Italia get?
- How to watch the Giro d'Italia
- All the abandons from the Giro d'Italia 2026
Stage 20 of the Giro d'Italia 2024, to Bassano del Grappa
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 | Great Britain | Ineos Grenadiers |
2019 | Richard Carapaz | Ecuador | Movistar |
2018 | Chris Froome | Great Britain | 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 |
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How to watch Giro d'Italia 2026: Everything you need to live stream the Italian Grand TourAll the key information on broadcasters and free live streams for the Giro d'Italia from May 8 - 31, so you can watch the Italian Grand Tour online, on TV, from anywhere.
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How to watch Giro d'Italia stage 19: TV details, free streams for Queen StageHere's how to watch stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia as Jonas Vingegaard looks to ensure the Maglia Rosa.
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'I didn't really expect it' – Paul Magnier powers to Giro d'Italia hat-trick on stage 18The sprinters teams overcame the attackers in a hilly finale to have their day
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'I think I deserve this' - Michael Valgren escapes to victory on stage 17 of the Giro d'Italia as break makes it to finishThe EF Education-EasyPost rider is back at the top, three years after horror crash
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From Anquetil to Froome, here are all the riders who have won the Giro, Tour and VueltaSeven male riders have won all three Grand Tours in their career, is Jonas Vingegaard about to join this list of greats
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Who is leading the Giro d'Italia 2026? Jonas Vingegaard holds on to pink after stage 18 but the ciclamino jersey changes handsThe full general classification, along with the latest stage result, and the standings for the other jerseys
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'We wanted to try and win in the pink jersey' – Jonas Vingegaard soars to victory on Giro d'Italia stage 16 to cement overall leadVisma-Lease a Bike rider puts time into his competitors on climb to Carì
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'I reacted in the heat of the moment' – seven times we have seen headbutts and punch-ups in the pro pelotonAfter watching Enrico Zanoncello get kicked out of the Giro for headbutting, we look back on some notorious incidents
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Cycling TV and streaming guide: How to watch the Giro d'Italia and the Giro d'Italia Women this weekEverything you need to know about how to watch cycling online and on TV wherever you are in the world, with a schedule of races, events, and broadcasts this week.
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'I'll finish my career on this team and retire before 35' – Jonas Vingegaard reveals career-end plans and rules out Netcompany-Ineos moveThe Dane was speaking at a Giro d'Italia rest day press conference
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'This was my big shot' - Fredrik Dversnes wins stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia after the breakaway survive in MilanComplaints from the peloton caused GC times to be decided on the final lap of the Milan circuit
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'This one is the one I will remember the most' - Jonas Vingegaard stamps his authority on the Giro d'Italia taking the overall lead winning stage 14Felix Gall takes a battling second place on the brutal mountain stage to Pila
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Honorary degrees and the great pee debate: the Giro d'Italia through social mediaThis week's social media round-up, direct from the Giro
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'I knew every single corner in the last 50km' – Alberto Bettiol solos from breakaway to Giro d'Italia stage 13 victoryItalian seals XDS Astana's third win of the race
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Jonas Vingegaard has been riding while sick, Visma-Lease a Bike sports director revealsJesper Mørkøv has confirmed that Vingegaard has been feeling green during his push for pink
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'I will pee in the bottle to not pee in somebody's front yard' – Victor Campenaerts confesses to being pioneer of 'pee-gate'Visma-Lease a Bike rider vows to stop urinating in bottles after Giro d'Italia warning
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'Mas was the strongest in the climb… I knew I had to play my game' – Jhonatan Narváez sprints to victory on stage 11 of the 2026 Giro d'ItaliaOn a day dominated by the breakaway, the Ecuadorian rider smashed out his third stage win in this year's Giro, making it four for UAE
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'Part of me thinks he's not been at 100%' – Geraint Thomas on Jonas Vingegaard's form after stage 10 Giro d'Italia time trialThomas was speaking on his Watts Occurring podcast following the stage
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'I've never been super good at it' – Jonas Vingegaard has 'terrible' time trial at Giro d'Italia, but remains in GC box-seatVisma-Lease a Bike rider loses time to rivals Thymen Arensman, Derek Gee-West and Ben O'Connor
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'I'm really happy to finally find a good TT without a climb' – Filippo Ganna decimates all comers in Giro d'Italia stage 10 time trialThe Italian wins, while Alfonso Eulálio clings on to the GC lead
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'We haven't left any stone unturned' – Inside TNT Sports' Giro d'Italia coverage, from Orla Chennaoui in the studio to Jens Voigt on a motorbikeOffered a chance to find out how the show works behind-the-scenes, we went to Italy and London
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Jonas Vingegaard on form, Felix Gall impressive and pink is still a long way off: Five things we learned in the first week of the Giro d'ItaliaA first full week that ranged from hilly to mountainous saw the ride blow wide open
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Riders warned not to urinate in bottles and discard them at the Giro d'ItaliaOrganisers ask riders to 'respect the image of cycling and the Giro d’Italia'
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Jonas Vingegaard takes a second mountain top victory at stage 9 of the Giro d'ItaliaFelix Gall comes in second place as the General classification takes shape
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'We ride well, we ride smart' - Jhonathan Narváez takes a second stage win after a crazy stage 8 at the Giro d'ItaliaThe breakaway take the day after an 80km battle, with attack after attack peppering the opening half of the stage
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'He is a guy we have to worry about' – is Felix Gall going to be Jonas Vingegaard's biggest challenger at this Giro d'Italia?First summit finish of the Giro d'Italia leads to shifts in GC but Gall trails Vingegaard by 17 seconds
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'We just wanted to go for the win' – Jonas Vingegaard solos to Giro d'Italia stage 7 win on Blockhaus summit finishSome contenders lose big chunks of time, but Felix Gall stays close
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Bunch sprints are dangerous enough and we don't need to make them spicier – Jonathan Milan had a point at the Giro d'ItaliaThe leading riders came down on yesterday's Giro d'Italia stage,on a tight turn in sight of the line
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'Don't be like this guy' – police report Giro d'Italia spectators who lunged at ridersMedia reports say two men have been identified and could face charges
