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

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New rumours from italian sources:

- Last stage in Milan (ITT probably)
- It has been proposed a mountain stage with Passo Cuvignone Alpe di Neggia and uphill finish in Passo Forcora. Alpe di Neggia i think is in Switzerland and it's a tremendous climb.
- there should be the return of the Zoncolan and also a stage in Turin.
 
Passo Cuvignone Alpe di Neggia and uphill finish in Passo Forcora
This would be very nice!
there should be the return of the Zoncolan and also a stage in Turin.
Turin would be great if they did the same or something similar as 2022. Zoncolan is a bit more "meh".......

As always I hope for this big medium mountain/hilly stages which Italy has a close to unlimited poential for. And also a big Dolomite stage.
 
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Where is this? I know where Alleghe is, but not this place.
Val Visdende is just northwest of Sappada but on the Belluno side of the border. You would do the 2018 finale, but then when you exit the descent of Costalissoio it would only be 3.2k of the main road towards Sappada before hitting the climb below. This assumes they don't use the very narrow and partially unpaved Forcella di Zovo, which was also rumoured for the 2018 stage but is IMO a big ask.
ValVisdende.gif
 
Yes I think it will be a stage similar to the 2018. I have a friend that works in a hotel in that area of Italy and he told me that this summer the climb has been totally paved from both sides. Maybe it will appear in the Giro...
 
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Val Visdende is just northwest of Sappada but on the Belluno side of the border. You would do the 2018 finale, but then when you exit the descent of Costalissoio it would only be 3.2k of the main road towards Sappada before hitting the climb below. This assumes they don't use the very narrow and partially unpaved Forcella di Zovo, which was also rumoured for the 2018 stage but is IMO a big ask.
Thanks! Found it now. Certainly not the biggest of places. Same with Piani di Pezze above Alleghe.
 
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Start in Bulgaria is nice. Sofia ITT as a guess?

From what I read in the Bulgarian media, the 3 stages are reported to be:
Stage 1: Burgas - Veliko Tarnovo. There are decent hills around Tarnovo and you should be able to do a nice stage if you want, but the distance between both cities is over 200km, so they probably won't have much of a freedom.

Stage 2: Veliko Tarnovo - Plovdiv. I have no idea what they'll do, but they have to cross the mountains so it shouldn't be bunch sprint.

Stage 3: Plovdiv - Sofia. Given the expected transfer on the next day, this could be a bunch sprint
 
From what I read in the Bulgarian media, the 3 stages are reported to be:
Stage 1: Burgas - Veliko Tarnovo. There are decent hills around Tarnovo and you should be able to do a nice stage if you want, but the distance between both cities is over 200km, so they probably won't have much of a freedom.

Stage 2: Veliko Tarnovo - Plovdiv. I have no idea what they'll do, but they have to cross the mountains so it shouldn't be bunch sprint.

Stage 3: Plovdiv - Sofia. Given the expected transfer on the next day, this could be a bunch sprint
So no sprinter in Pink at all. At least we had Mads in it for a day this year haha
 
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If the enforcement of the UCI rules is like in 2012, they could have the first of two rest days after three stages.
yeah, okay, maybe. I would think this violates both, the "two rest days are obligatory and must be distributed evenly" as well as the "a transfer cannot be considered as a rest day" rule - but it looks like those rules were in place in 2012 already as well indeed.
 
yeah, okay, maybe. I would think this violates both, the "two rest days are obligatory and must be distributed evenly" as well as the "a transfer cannot be considered as a rest day" rule - but it looks like those rules were in place in 2012 already as well indeed.
The added rule since that gave the possibility of a third rest day should change how the other rules are enforced though.

Stage 4 was a TTT in both 2010 and 2012 and also the first Spanish stage in the Vuelta this year, so rest day or not, it should also be the first Italian stage next year.
 
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From what I read in the Bulgarian media, the 3 stages are reported to be:
Stage 1: Burgas - Veliko Tarnovo. There are decent hills around Tarnovo and you should be able to do a nice stage if you want, but the distance between both cities is over 200km, so they probably won't have much of a freedom.

Stage 2: Veliko Tarnovo - Plovdiv. I have no idea what they'll do, but they have to cross the mountains so it shouldn't be bunch sprint.

Stage 3: Plovdiv - Sofia. Given the expected transfer on the next day, this could be a bunch sprint
Veliko Tarnovo finish would be sick. The city is perfect for a hilly classic finish, you could have cobbles, you could do a punchy finish, plenty of options.
Stage 2 might end up a bit the typical one big climb in the middle Pedersen sprint finish style stage but Plovdiv also could have the opportunity of a punchy finish and they might go just by Buzludza monument in the middle of the stage as I hoped.
Stage 3 as others have said will probably depend on how they approach the transfer.
 
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