Giro d'Italia Giro d'Italia 2026 Route: Speculation, Rumours and Announcements

[Netserk]

With the Grande Partenza being out of the bag, it's time to kick off the rumour thread for the 2026 route.

Many thanks to @search for being on the beat.

България ще бъде домакин на едно от най-големите спортни събития през 2026 г., съобщи министър Мирослав Боршош - Про Нюз Добрич

България ще бъде домакин на едно от най-големите спортни събития - Giro d\'Italia (\

pronewsdobrich.bg

Bulgaria will host one of the largest sporting events in 2026, announced Minister Miroslav Borshosh​

By BTA, Sofia Gospodinova
06.08.2025 | 11:23

Bulgaria will host one of the largest sporting events – the Giro d’Italia (“Tour of Italy”) – in 2026, announced the Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh during a joint briefing with the Minister of Sport Ivan Peshev at the Council of Ministers.

Today the government supported the proposal of the two ministries to finalise negotiations for hosting this prestigious sporting event, Borshosh noted. In negotiations, Bulgaria competed with several other countries. This is an event that transforms the host country, said Borshosh. “The Tour of Italy” places our country on the global tourism map and makes Bulgaria a recognisable destination, added the minister. According to him, additional benefits to Bulgaria’s image from this event are immense.

The Giro d’Italia in Bulgaria will take place in 2026 and will include dozens of municipalities, which is highly significant for their development, Borshosh said. The race will have three stages, starting in one part of Bulgaria and finishing in another. Dates and routes will be announced later, as will the budget, Borshosh reported.

 

[Netserk]

According to the UCI rules, the duration of the Giro may not be any longer than 23 days next year, as they were granted an extra rest day this year.

2.6.007 Duration

The durations indicated below correspond to the total number of days occupied on the calendar, i.e. both days of competition, including any prologue, and rest days.

UCI WorldTour
The duration of the events is determined by the Professional Cycling Council.

For Grands tours, the duration must be between 15 and 23 days.

For all UCI WorldTour events, the organiser may ask, every four years, for one additional day in order to organise the start in a non-adjacent territory to the country of the event and/or requiring a long transfer. Any such request must be submitted at least one year before the event and will be reviewed at the Professional Cycling Council’s discretion.

So three stages in Bulgaria before a transfer without a rest day to Italy? It'd have to be to Friuli or Trentino, I guess.

EDIT: And the 2010 solution is no longer permitted:

2.6.012 Rest days

In events with more than 10 days of competition, at least one rest day must be allowed for and fall after at least 5 days of racing.

In the major tours two rest days are obligatory and must be distributed evenly.

Unless the UCI makes a derogation to that effect, a transfer cannot be considered as a rest day.

(text modified on 1.01.02; 1.10.10).

But then again, that was also the case in 2012, yet they did in fact have an early rest day then ...

 

[Red Rick]

According to the UCI rules, the duration of the Giro may not be any longer than 23 days next year, as they were granted an extra rest day this year.


So three stages in Bulgaria before a transfer without a rest day to Italy? It'd have to be to Friuli or Trentino, I guess.

South Italy is closer, no? Or is this about the bus transfer, cause maybe it's just easier to rent temporary buses for the Grande Partenza.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

They will not do a 10 hour ++ bus transfer. I suspect the UCI will just not apply their rules.

 

[Netserk]

They will not do a 10 hour ++ bus transfer. I suspect the UCI will just not apply their rules.

Yeah, an early rest day sounds most plausible. But I don't think they'll have a third one.

 

[YavorD]

This thread was opened just today?
Shows how much the Giro has fallen in recent years..

 

[Red Rick]

This thread was opened just today?
Shows how much the Giro has fallen in recent years..

Maybe the forum has fallen.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Start in Bulgaria? Rila Mtf or gtfo!

 

[search]

well, we all know it'll more likely be a short Sofia ITT and two sprint stages at the beach instead.

It honestly doesn't really make much of a difference if they hold stages like that in Holland, Denmark or Bulgaria, but it didn't really need a 2nd consecuctive eastern European start in a row, I guess. If this turns out to really happen at all.

 

[nbfc1962]

Wow wow wow, never in my life expected that any grand tour will start in my country, my job leave is already ready

 

[Gigs_98]

Maybe the forum has fallen.

I think it's really mostly @Eshnar no longer providing us with constant updates. I think the Giro gets a similar amount of engagement from the forum as the Vuelta and the Vuelta route speculation thread is usually not very long either.

 

[Mayomaniac]

well, we all know it'll more likely be a short Sofia ITT and two sprint stages at the beach instead.

It honestly doesn't really make much of a difference if they hold stages like that in Holland, Denmark or Bulgaria, but it didn't really need a 2nd consecuctive eastern European start in a row, I guess. If this turns out to really happen at all.

There is the Vitosha/Aleko ski station right above Sofia, that climb is around 15kms at 7% and fully cobbled (typical urban cobbles). One could also have a decent hilly circuit around Sofia.

 

[Ulle97]

Will we see a monster Dolomite stage next year?

Of all the big Dolomite stages over the years, which one was your favourite?

 

[Red Rick]

Will we see a monster Dolomite stage next year?

Of all the big Dolomite stages over the years, which one was your favourite?

2016.

 

[ice&fire]

Start in Bulgaria? Rila Mtf or gtfo!

RIla? Buzluzja!

 

[OlavEH]

I guess Finestre - Sestriere is not an option next year, so I'm hoping for the rest of the "usual suspects":

- Mortirolo - Aprica
- Stelvio - Torri di Fraele or Bormio 2000
- Fedaia - Pordoi or Sella. Or Fedia - Pordoi/Sella - Selva/Canazei
- Colle San Carlo - Courmayeur

Something involving climbs like Manghen, Passo Pennes from north, etc. would also be interesting.

 

[Red Rick]

I guess Finestre - Sestriere is not an option next year, so I'm hoping for the rest of the "usual suspects":

- Mortirolo - Aprica
- Stelvio - Torri di Fraele or Bormio 2000
- Fedaia - Pordoi or Sella. Or Fedia - Pordoi/Sella - Selva/Canazei
- Colle San Carlo - Courmayeur

Something involving climbs like Manghen, Passo Pennes from north, etc. would also be interesting.

Bocca di Forca-Grappa
Passo Pampeago-Manghen-Brocon
Punta Veleno-Bocca del Creer
La Maialetta-Guardiagrele

But really in France you barely have passes for such combinations and could just *** out 5 different ones every Giro

 

[Onizuka999]

According to some Italian sites there will be a mtf in the prealps in the province of Piacenza. Mount Penice or Sella dei Generali. I have also read that the president Evgeniy Balev and the vice-president Danail Petrov of the bulgarian federation have been suspended for two years.

 

[Red Rick]

Penice should be pretty good for an early MTF. That's on my list for non-backloading MTF candidates.

Overall the wishlist doesn't really matter, the overall pacing matters a lot more.

 

[hayneplane]

There is the Vitosha/Aleko ski station right above Sofia, that climb is around 15kms at 7% and fully cobbled (typical urban cobbles). One could also have a decent hilly circuit around Sofia.

That sounds like a really fun climb though they probably would be reluctant to throw something that hard in early only two years after doing Oropa MTF on Stage 2.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Start in Bulgaria is sick! Obviously the transfer will be a mess if they don't do an early restday.
Just for the aesthetics, they need to do an early MTF at Buzludzha monument, one of the coolest futurist/brutalist piece of architecture from an ex-communist country there is.

I think the road from the South is like a slightly lesser Etna, so just the sort of climb the Giro likes as an early finish.

 

[SafeBet]

Penice should be pretty good for an early MTF. That's on my list for non-backloading MTF candidates.

Overall the wishlist doesn't really matter, the overall pacing matters a lot more.

Why do you expect Penice to be an early MTF and not on the second to last weekend?

 

[houtdffan]

please have a couple of long ITTs since Gouvenou won't have these at the TDF