The 109th Giro d’Italia begins on Friday in Bulgaria on the Black Sea and wraps up in Rome on May 31. The first Grand Tour of the season contains only one time trial–but a long one–and seven summits. After coming fourth last year, Derek Gee-West returns with his new team Lidl-Trek. Can he do anything to prevent Jonas Vingegaard for completing his Grand Tour Triple Crown?
Corsa Rosa
After three stages in Bulgaria that suit the sprinters, the first rest day will allow a transfer to southern Italia, where the race will head north. Stage 7 provides the first true GC day, as it’s also the first summit finish atop Blockhaus. Another mountain top finish on Stage 9 proceeds Stage 10’s 40-km time trial on the Tuscan coast.
Following the second rest day in Tuscany, the next three stages feature hills that might catch out a rider or two. Stage 14 is a relatively short but tough day of climbing, its summit finish on 16.5-km Pila, a climb that’s back after a 30-year absence. Sprinters will vie for the flowers on the Milan stage, with city circuits before the day’s climax.
The final week begins with a short Swiss stage where the riders will take on the Leonticas climb twice before a summit finish at the Carì ski station. Stage 19 can claim Queen Stage status with its five climbs in 152 km, including Passo Duran, the Forcella Staulanza, the Cima Coppi ascent of Passo Giau, Passo Falzarego and finally the short, but very steep Piani di Pezzè.
Nick Zukowsky heads back to the Giro d’Italia with ‘unfinished business’
Stage 20 throws the 14.4-km, 8.9 percent Piancavallo at the riders twice, including the final summit finish of the 2026 Giro. May 31 is the procession into Rome to crown the pink jersey and give the fast men one last chance at glory.
Last season Simon Yates finally finished his business with the Giro. In 2018, after leading the race for 13 days with three stages wins, Yates imploded on Stage 19, sliding down to 18th on GC and ultimately finishing 21st. In 2025, he snagged the pink from Isaac del Toro with an audacious move on Stage 20 to finally win pink. Yates retired and del Toro and third place Richard Carapaz haven’t returned.
The GC Contenders
On paper it looks like…
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