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.
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 |
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'I'd rather win the Giro d'Italia than the Tour de France for 2026' – Jonas Vingegaard seeks out Grand Tour triple
Speaking at the Saitama Criterium, which he won, the Dane suggests he could be glory-hunting beyond France next year
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'It's not the most feasible option' – Tadej Pogačar unlikely to ride Vuelta a España in 2026
UAE sports manager Joxean Fernández Matxin makes clear that a fifth Tour de France is the priority
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The end of the Giro d'Italia was the essence of cycling – 'someone else should do it,' is our mantra
Dr Hutch on Isaac del Toro and Richard Carapaz vs Simon Yates at the Giro d'Italia
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'We're going to be seen from outer space' - As Rapha and EF Pro Cycling part ways, we look back at their most iconic collaborations
From duck helmets to kaleidoscope kits, we look back at some of the times the iconic pink jerseys were, by race decree, switched-out on the start-line of the Giro d’Italia
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Why is the Vuelta a España starting in Italy? Everything you need to know about overseas Grand Tour starts
It's not the first time the Giro has started abroad, and it likely won't be the last
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Liane Lippert claims Giro d’Italia final stage victory as Elisa Longo Borghini takes well-fought general classification
The UAE Team ADQ rider retains her title as Giro d'Italia victor
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'Pink is my favourite colour!' - Britain's Anna Henderson wins Giro d'Italia Women stage two and takes pink jersey
The Lidl-Trek rider finished ahead of Dilyxine Miermont in a rain-dappled mountain-finish to take her first WorldTour win
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'We'll keep the option open' – Simon Yates on understudy role to Jonas Vingegaard at Tour de France
Giro d'Italia winner says he will not 'purposefully lose time' in opening week of race
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How does the general classification work at the Tour de France?
We untangle the rules around overall winners and stage winners – and those tricky bonus seconds
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Belgian rider referred to UCI's ethics committee for allegedly helping another team at Giro d'Italia
Investigation comes after Dries De Bondt told the media that he deliberately aided Richard Carapaz on stage 20 of the Giro in an effort to secure a contract with EF Education-EasyPost
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Tom Pidcock planning UCI Gravel World Championships debut in October
Brit could ride event after Italian one-day classics at end of season
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Wout van Aert rode harder than ever on the Finestre to help deliver Simon Yates to Giro d’Italia victory
Belgian put in 'career best performance' according to Visma-Lease a Bike's head of performance
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Giro d'Italia celebrations, the Tour de France, BBC Sports Personality of the Year? What's next for Simon Yates
'It's his crowning moment, without a doubt' says Nick Hall, former Bury Clarion Cycling Club chair
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'Giro d'Italia win is the defining moment of my career' - Simon Yates turns his Grand Tour fortune around with historic win
Through illness, injury, and bad luck, the Visma-Lease a Bike rider kept patient, waiting for the moment to make history
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How much prize money did Simon Yates get for winning the Giro d'Italia?
What will the man in the pink jersey get in Rome? Is it worth winning a stage? And more
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Simon Yates wins Giro d'Italia as Olav Kooij triumphs in Rome sprint
Lancastrian wraps up pink jersey victory for Visma-Lease a Bike as the team also claims the stage
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Who won the Giro d'Italia 2025?
The full general classification, along with the latest stage result, and the standings for the other jerseys
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'I’m not an emotional person, but I couldn’t hold back the tears' - Simon Yates writes his redemption arc story to seal Giro d'Italia victory on Colle delle Finestre
British Visma-Lease a Bike rider had the perfect stage on Saturday to jump up general classification and seal overall victory
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'Savage' Colle delle Finestre will decide who wins the Giro d'Italia - Isaac del Toro or Richard Carapaz
Race finely poised ahead of showdown on final climb in the Italian Alps
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'I've waited a long time for this' - Nicolas Prodhomme climbs to solo victory on stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia as Isaac del Toro and Richard Carapaz take time on rivals
Frenchman takes maiden Giro win after GC stalemate in the Valle d'Aosta, Del Toro remains in pink
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I’ll be watching stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia right from the start and you should too – here's why
It's set to be an action-packed day in the mountains
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'It’s now been three months since I was last at home' - Nico Denz powers to solo victory on stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia to make hard work worthwhile
German salvages race for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe in Cesano Maderno after team lost Primož Roglič to injury on stage 16
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Juan Ayuso abandons Giro d’Italia after being stung by bee on face
Spaniard was already suffering with knee injury but was left with a badly swollen right eye after a bee got inside his helmet on the road to Bormio
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Tadej Pogačar thought Isaac del Toro was an 'amazing rider' after just one training camp
Mexican leads the Giro d'Italia going into the final three stages, and his agent, Alex Carera, has revealed he is inundated with requests from across the Atlantic
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Richard Carapaz vows to 'go for it, all the way to Rome' after lighting up Giro d’Italia in mountains on stage 16
2019 winner now just 31 seconds from the Maglia Rosa after violent late attack on San Valentino climb
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Primož Roglič abandons Giro d'Italia after stage 16 crash
Slovenian leaves race after falling in the rain
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Where to watch Giro d'Italia stage 16: Live streams, timings for huge mountain stage
It's huge mountain day at the 2025 Giro d'Italia – here are the broadcast details and timings so you can watch stage 16 today.
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'I'm just happy that I finished' - Primož Roglič suffers time loss on Giro d'Italia stage 15
Slovenian loses a minute and a half and slips to 10th in GC ahead of second rest day
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'It's annoying but it’s all worth it': Kasper Asgreen celebrates first Giro d'Italia win
Dane celebrates 'one step closer' to completing Grand Tour treble
