Giro d’Italia 2026: Route, Favorites & All Jerseys
Three weeks, 21 stages, one dream in pink. The Giro d'Italia 2026 is making history before the first stage has even been ridden: for the first time, the Corsa Rosa starts in Bulgaria – on 8 May in the ancient UNESCO city of Nessebar on the Black Sea. From there, the route covers 3,459 kilometres and 49,150 metres of elevation gain, culminating in the finale in Rome on 31 May. Top favourite Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) is aiming for a historic Giro-Tour double.
Would you like to know what awaits you at the Giro 2026? We have analysed the complete route, taken a close look at all the favourites, explained the four classification jerseys and show you which pro team jerseys and Giro specials you can find at Bobshop.
What makes the Giro d'Italia so special
The Giro d'Italia has been the most emotionally intense Grand Tour in cycling since 1909 and is considered by connoisseurs to be the most unpredictable three-week race in the world. The pink soul of the race comes from the Gazzetta dello Sport – the newspaper that founded the Giro, printed on pink paper. Since Learco Guerra wore the first Maglia Rosa in 1931, legends such as Coppi, Merckx, Hinault and Pantani have made this jersey immortal.
What makes the Giro tactically unique: the weather in the Italian Alps and Dolomites is notoriously unpredictable. A sunny morning can turn into snow and fog within an hour – which is why it is not always the strongest who wins here, but often the cleverest. With its historic first start in Bulgaria, a queen stage over the Passo Giau and the Piancavallo double-header as the final judge, the 109th edition promises particular drama. No wonder the Road Bike cycling world at Bobshop features the Giro as a highlight of the year.
Bobshop was delighted to receive an invitation to the Giro d'Italia from Q36.5. We will have the opportunity to meet Luigi Bergamo, CEO of Q36.5, and the riders of the Pinarello‑Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team in person and take a look behind the scenes of this spectacular race.
The route of the Giro d'Italia 2026 – 21 stages from Bulgaria to Rome
The route of the Giro d'Italia 2026 spans 3,459 kilometres with 49,150 metres of elevation gain – from Nessebar on the Black Sea all the way to Rome. The race programme includes eight flat stages for the sprinters, seven medium-mountain stages, five mountain stages with seven summit finishes and a 40.2-km individual time trial on the Tuscan coast. Three rest days (11, 18 and 25 May) structure the three race weeks.
Grande Partenza in Bulgaria – stages 1–3 (8–10 May)
The Grande Partenza in Bulgaria marks a historic first: for the first time in history, a Grand Tour starts on the Black Sea coast. Stage 1 (Nessebar – Burgas, 147 km) runs flat along the coast with an 11.9-km circuit as the finale – this is where the first Maglia Rosa will be awarded in a mass sprint. Stage 2 (Burgas – Veliko Tarnovo, 221 km), with 2,370 metres of elevation gain, is the toughest Bulgarian stage: the steep climb to the Lyaskovets Monastery (3.5 km at 7.5 %, with a double-digit opening section) could already bring the first classification differences. Stage 3 (Plovdiv – Sofia, 175 km) crosses the Borovets Pass near the ski resort before 70 km of descent towards Sofia lead to the sprint finale in the capital.
Southern Italy and the way north – stages 4–15
After a rest day, stage 4 begins in Calabria (Catanzaro – Cosenza, 138 km). For 50 km, the riders can enjoy the coastal views before a 15-km climb to an altitude of 942 m challenges them. Stage 5 (Praia a Mare – Potenza, 204 km) tackles the steep Montagna Grande di Viggiano (6.6 km at 9.2 %) – a classic breakaway day. Stage 6 (Paestum – Napoli) runs 142 km through Campania. A rather flat sprinter course, interrupted only by a steep, 3-km ridge of hills. Stage 7 to Blockhaus in the Abruzzo (244 km) is the longest stage of the Giro and the first real mountain test: the final 10 kilometres remain constantly at or above 10 % gradient. This is the first time we will see who can truly wear the Maglia Rosa. Stage 8 (157 km) between Chieti and Fermo over the Muri hills and stage 9 (184 km) from Cervia to Corno alle Scale (with alternating steep ramps) will demand further tributes.
Stage 10 – the individual time trial (42 km, Viareggio) is completely flat along the Tuscan coast – speeds of 56–57 km/h and strong gusts of wind are expected. For a time-trial specialist like Vingegaard, this day could decisively shape the overall classification. In the following week, the Giro passes through the Cinque Terre (stage 11 Porcari – Chiavari, 187 km) and the Riviera (stage 12 Imperia – Novi Ligure, 177 km), travels 188 km through Piedmont in stage 13 (Alessandria – Verbania), and culminates in the brutal stage 14 from Aosta to Pila in the Aosta Valley with over 4,000 metres of elevation gain – over the climbs of Saint-Barthélémy, Douas, Lin Noir and Verrogne. The flat sprint stage 15 from Voghera to Milan (156 km) brings the second week to a close.
The decisive third week – stages 16–21
The third week decides everything. Stage 16 (Bellinzona – Carì, 113 km, Switzerland) is short but explosive: entirely on Swiss soil in Ticino, with the Leontica climb twice and a summit finish at 1,644 metres. The long stage 17 (Cassano d'Adda – Andalo, 202 km) leads to South Tyrol, in parts steadily uphill. Stage 18 (Fai della Paganella – Pieve di Soligo, 168 km) runs through rolling terrain. The stage victory is likely to be decided on the legendary Muro di Ca' del Poggio.
The queen stage 19 (Feltre – Piani di Pezzè, 151 km) through the Dolomites is the toughest day of the entire Giro: 5,000 metres of elevation gain. The Passo Duran, Passo Staulanza and the Passo Giau, one of the most iconic climbs of the "Corsa Rosa", are all scaled. The most challenging sections are the "Mur de Col de Mies", a 500-m climb in the middle of the ascent with gradients of 20 %, and the "Mur de Coi", the final climb of roughly 550 m leading to the finish at Piani.
Stage 20 (Gemona del Friuli – Piancavallo, 200 km) is the final judge: in memory of the 1976 Friuli earthquake, the route passes through the epicentre before the Piancavallo is climbed twice – 13 km at 8 %. Marco Pantani won here in 1998 before going on to take the entire Giro. Stage 21 (31 May, Rome, 131 km) is the traditional closing parade through the Eternal City – via Ostia and several laps through the city centre.
Favourites check – who will win the Giro 2026?
Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma | Lease a Bike, outfitter: AGU): The Dane has won the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España – the Giro is the missing piece in his Grand Tour collection. His start in Bulgaria is confirmed. The combination of time-trial strength (the 40.2-km time trial course suits him) and climbing prowess in the third week makes him the clear favourite.
Jai Hindley (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe, outfitter: Specialized): Hindley won the Giro in 2022 and returns to places such as Piancavallo, where he triumphed back then.
Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers): The 2021 Giro winner is on his way back to the top. His comeback from a near-fatal training accident makes every competitive performance a testament to his strength of will.
Richard Carapaz (EF Education – EasyPost, outfitter Assos): The Ecuadorian and 2019 Giro winner finished third in 2025. Despite surgery in April, he is planning to start at the Giro d'Italia. His calm, tactically astute riding style and his consistency in the third week make him a serious outsider candidate.
In addition, Mikel Landa (Soudal–Quick-Step), Ben O'Connor (Jayco–AlUla) and the rising Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull) are further names to keep an eye on.
All classification jerseys of the Giro d'Italia explained
The Giro d'Italia has four official classification jerseys, all of which are produced by Castelli – the official outfitter of the Giro since 2018. Castelli succeeded Santini, who produced the jersey from 1993 to 2017. Today, Santini is the official outfitter of the Tour de France and all ASO competitions. At Bobshop you will find the official Castelli Giro d'Italia jerseys as Race and Replica versions.
Maglia Rosa – the pink jersey
The Maglia Rosa identifies the leader of the general classification – the rider with the lowest accumulated time across all stages. The iconic pink comes from the Gazzetta dello Sport, printed on pink paper, which founded the Giro in 1909. Learco Guerra wore the first pink jersey in 1931. Castelli already produced the Maglia Rosa in the 1980s for wearers such as Hinault and Moser and returned as official outfitter in 2018. Whoever wears this jersey on 31 May in Rome will write cycling history.
Maglia Ciclamino – the points jersey
The Maglia Ciclamino (cyclamen jersey) rewards the best sprinter of the Giro. Points are awarded on flat and hilly stages, with sprint stages providing the most. With eight flat stages, the Giro 2026 offers plenty of opportunities for sprint duels. Jonathan Milan (Lidl–Trek), Kaden Groves (Team Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Dylan Groenewegen (Team Unibet Rose Rockets) are among the main candidates.
Maglia Azzurra – the mountain jersey
The Maglia Azzurra (blue jersey) goes to the best climber of the Giro. Points are awarded on categorised climbs – the tougher the mountain, the more points. The Passo Giau as Cima Coppi (the highest point of the race at 2,236 m) brings in the most points. This jersey rewards the riders who are first to crest Italy's highest passes.
Maglia Bianca – the white jersey
The Maglia Bianca honours the best young professional under the age of 25. It is the jersey of the future – many later Giro winners wore it before their big triumph. Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull) is likely to be one of the main contenders in 2026.
The teams and their kits at the Giro 2026
23 teams start at the Giro d'Italia 2026: all 18 UCI WorldTeams, two ProTeams qualified via the ranking (Pinarello-Q36.5, Tudor Pro Cycling Team) and three wildcard teams (Bardiani CSF, Polti VisitMalta, Unibet Rose Rockets). At Bobshop you will find both the Original Race Version and the Replica kits of many of these teams.
Team Visma | Lease a Bike (YellowB) – Jonas Vingegaard as captain in yellow and black. | UAE Team Emirates XRG (Pissei) – Almeida. | Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe (Specialized) – Hindley. | INEOS Grenadiers (Gobik) – Bernal. | EF Education – EasyPost (Assos) – Carapaz in pink and blue. | Lidl–Trek (Santini) – sprint star Milan. | Soudal–Quick-Step (Castelli) – Mikel Landa as GC option.
You will find the complete pro team range and the official Castelli Giro d'Italia collection at Bobshop.
Bobshop prize draw for the Giro d'Italia
As every year, Bobshop is launching a prize draw for the Giro d'Italia. Great prizes will once again be raffled off. Simply sign up for our newsletter so you don't miss a thing! It is well worth it!
Discover Giro d'Italia 2026 jerseys & pro team kits at Bobshop now
Frequently asked questions about the Giro d'Italia 2026 (FAQ)
When and where does the Giro d'Italia 2026 start?
The Giro d'Italia 2026 starts on Friday, 8 May 2026, in Nessebar on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Three stages run through Bulgaria (Nessebar–Burgas, Burgas–Veliko Tarnovo, Plovdiv–Sofia) before the race transfers to southern Italy. The finale takes place on Sunday, 31 May 2026, in Rome.
How many stages does the Giro d'Italia 2026 have?
The Giro d'Italia 2026 consists of 21 stages over 3,459 kilometres with a total of 49,150 metres of elevation gain. The programme comprises eight flat stages, seven medium-mountain stages, five mountain stages with seven summit finishes and a 40.2-km individual time trial. Three rest days on 11, 18 and 25 May structure the race.
Who produces the classification jerseys of the Giro d'Italia?
Castelli has been the official outfitter of the Giro d'Italia since 2018 and produces all four classification jerseys: Maglia Rosa (overall leader), Maglia Ciclamino (best sprinter), Maglia Azzurra (mountain classification) and Maglia Bianca (best young professional under 25). The official Castelli Giro jerseys are available at Bobshop as Race and Replica versions.
Can I buy Giro d'Italia jerseys at Bobshop?
Bobshop stocks both the official Castelli Giro d'Italia classification jerseys and the kits of numerous participating pro teams – each as an Original Race Version and a more affordable Replica. The Giro d'Italia classification jersey range includes the Maglia Rosa, Maglia Ciclamino, Maglia Azzurra and Maglia Bianca, as well as team jerseys, bib shorts and accessories.
Who are the favourites to win the Giro 2026?
Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) is regarded as the top favourite for the Giro d'Italia 2026 and is aiming for a historic Giro-Tour double. The other main favourites are João Almeida, Jai Hindley (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe), Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) and Richard Carapaz (EF Education – EasyPost).
