Pre-race favourite Jonas Vingegaard took his first Giro Stage at the top of the Blockhaus climb at the end of stage seven. His winning margin wasn't enough to put him in the leader's pink jersey, but it was confirmation that the Dane is the man to beat over the next 14 stages.
Stage seven was the longest Grand Tour stage in five years and came toward the end of a tough opening week that was hit with terrible weather, and marred by several crashes.
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 | |
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 | Row 7 - Cell 6 |
9 | 17 May | Cervia | Corno alle Scale | 184km | Mountains | Row 8 - Cell 6 |
10 | 19 May | Viareggio | Massa | 40.2km | ITT | Row 9 - Cell 6 |
11 | 20 May | Porcari | Chiavari | 178km | Hilly | Row 10 - Cell 6 |
12 | 21 May | Imperia | Novi Ligure | 177km | Flat | Row 11 - Cell 6 |
13 | 22 May | Alessandria | Verbania | 186km | Hilly | Row 12 - Cell 6 |
14 | 23 May | Aosta | Pila | 133km | Mountains | Row 13 - Cell 6 |
15 | 24 May | Voghera | Milan | 136km | Flat | Row 14 - Cell 6 |
16 | 26 May | Bellinzona (Switzerland) | Carì (Switzerland) | 113km | Mountains | Row 15 - Cell 6 |
17 | 27 May | Cassano d'Adda | Andalo | 100km | Hilly | Row 16 - Cell 6 |
18 | 28 May | Fai della Paganella | Pieve di Soligo | 166km | Hilly | Row 17 - Cell 6 |
19 | 29 May | Feltre | Alleghe | 151km | Mountains | Row 18 - Cell 6 |
20 | 30 May | Gemona del Friuli | Piancavallo | 199km | Mountains | Row 19 - Cell 6 |
21 | 31 May | Rome | Rome | 131km | Flat | Row 20 - 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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'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
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From Egan Bernal to Jonas Vingegaard and more: the complete Giro d'Italia 2026 start listAll the riders for the first Grand Tour of the year
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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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Who is leading the Giro d'Italia 2026? Afonso Eulálio holds on to the maglia rosa on stage 6The full general classification, along with the latest stage result, and the standings for the other jerseys
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'I really don't get it' – Jonathan Milan calls out Giro d'Italia route choice after crash mars bunch sprintThe front of the peloton was held up by a crash on cobbles inside 400m to go on stage 6
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'Today was not on the plan' – Davide Ballerini wins Giro d'Italia stage 6 after sprint favourites crash on final bendGroenewegen, Milan and Magnier caught up in slippery finale in Napoli
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Who has abandoned the Giro d'Italia 2026? Jayco AlUla's Felix Engelhardt didn't start stage 6 – find out who else has bailedAfter an illness-afflicted build-up and a crash-packed Grande Partenza, several significant names have already bid arrivederci to the Giro – here’s the full list of abandonees
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'I thought it was impossible but I kept pushing' – Igor Arrieta defies all the odds to squeeze out a victory on Giro d'Italia stage 5His breakaway partner Alfonso Eulálio now wears pink
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'This is something really crazy' – Giulio Ciccone completes lifelong dream of wearing pink at Giro d'ItaliaItalian cannily took bonus second to move into lead
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'This victory is also for my team-mates' – Jhonatan Narváez sprints to Giro d'Italia stage 4 win as UAE Team Emirates-XRG put woes behind themUAE Team Emirates-XRG bounce back from torrid time in Bulgaria
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Paint the town pink: 12 Giro-inspired products to add to your wardrobe or bike this summerThe Giro d'Italia is synonymous with pink, so why not upgrade this summer or just give an honourable nod to the first Grand Tour of the year with a splash of Rosa?
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A new French star, Jonas Vingegaard shows his mettle, and a huge crash ends race for some – Five things we learned from the Giro d'Italia's opening weekendThe Grande Partenza in Bulgaria was not without incident to say the least, leaving us with plenty to think on
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Paul Magnier takes a second sprint victory at the Giro d'Italia winning stage 3 after the breakaway almost took the day in SofiaThe French Soudal-Quick Step rider out-sprinted Jonathan Milan, consolidating his lead in the points classification
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British GC hopeful Adam Yates leaves the Giro d'Italia after huge stage 2 crash causes mass abandonsYates is one of six riders forced to quit the Giro as a result of a crash late on Saturday's second stage
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'I'm speechless' - Uruguayan Thomas Silva wins Giro d'Italia stage 2 after Jonas Vingegaard attack thwarted in final kilometre24-year-old takes a breakthrough victory following a large crash which momentarily neutralised the stage
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'I don't know if it was anybody's mistake' – huge pile-up mars finale of Giro d'Italia stage 1Only 11 riders contest finish in Burgas after peloton blocked by crash
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'I'm so happy to be honest' – Paul Magnier storms to victory and pink jersey on Giro d'Italia stage 1 after mass crashSoudal Quick-Step sprinter wins opening Bulgarian stage
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Visma-Lease a Bike to Pinarello-Q36.5: Your complete guide to the 23 teams of the 2026 Giro d'ItaliaFrom WorldTour kings to wily wildcards, these 23 squads will battle for Giro glory. We weigh up their chances
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'For The Love Of Cycling represents the next chapter' – Ned Boulting launches new pro cycling podcast alongside Never Strays FarBroadcaster moves to Crowd Network with Never Strays Far audience in time for Giro d'Italia
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'I still see us as the underdogs' – inside Unibet Rose Rockets' remarkable rise from YouTube stunts to a Giro d'Italia debutBorn out of a YouTube experiment, Unibet Rose Rockets have blasted into the high-stakes world of Grand Tour racing. Tom Davidson finds out how they went stratospheric
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'Our coverage will be truly immersive' – Daily Giro d'Italia highlights to be broadcast on free-to-air TVFans will be able to watch 107 hours of racing on TNT Sports, or watch highlights on DMAX
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'Half the peloton is ill' – manure blamed as riders fall ill ahead of Giro d'Italia, creating drama for some teamsThree Lotto Intermarché riders hospitalised by manure malady after one-day race in Belgium
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From Fausto Coppi to Tadej Pogačar: here are the eight male riders and one female who have won the Giro Tour doubleLong thought to be impossible in modern cycling, Tadej Pogačar ticked off the double in 2024, and now the female peloton have it in their sights too
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Why is the Giro d'Italia starting in Bulgaria? Everything you need to know about overseas Grand Tour startsIt's not the first time the Giro has started abroad, and it likely won't be the last
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Why is Jonas Vingegaard wearing a special helmet at the Giro d'Italia?The two-time Tour de France winner’s helmet is part of a sponsorship deal
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'I don't think I'm the only favourite', says overwhelming favourite Jonas Vingegaard before Giro d'ItaliaVisma-Lease a Bike rider aiming to complete Grand Tour set
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Who will win the 2026 Giro d'Italia?Vingegaard’s the man to beat, but there’s no shortage of GC contenders trying to rain on his parade
