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

[Brullnux]

Okay. I interpreted the Cicloweb article in a way that no profile meant fairly flat stage. But you're of course right that stages to like Andalo and Fermo wont be that.

I like the first 9 days more than in a long time. The Potenza stage seems great, a Blockhaus MTF is very good and a Fermo stage could be that.

The first week has the potential to be the best since 2015. It's a shame for the possibly unipuerto Stage 9 – I'd have traded that for a flattish stage and then had Blockhaus/Fermo for the weekend, on an ideal world.

The biggest issue is the number of MTFs and the lack of good mountain stages, and then also the weird Stage 15 to Milan. There could be six pure MTF shootouts (Blockhaus, Stage 9, Pila, the Swiss stage, Pian del Pezze, Piancavallo) which feels very excessive.

 

[YavorD]

I think Blockhaus as a early MTF is very good. The Pila stage is also quite good. Piani di Pezze stage could be anyting. I think the most likely scenario there is action only on the last 5 kms.

What I miss the most are the "classic" Giro stage like Finestre/Sestriere, Mortirolo/Aprica, Stelvio/Torri di Fraele, etc. Or secondary; proper medium mountain stages like Sappada or Torino 2022.

Blockhaus is nice and I like it as well.
Pila, of course, is very likely to be totally different from what is proposed, but the proposed one is full of tempo climb's with limited amount of really steek kilometres and Pila itself is hard enough to neutre all the action before, while not a great MTF on it's own. Think a sprint is a likely scenario there.
Pezze is a good stage, I agree, but still has the potential to be a MTF shoot-out because of how steep the climb is (would be much better if they suddenly cancel the final climb).


First week can be good. Stage 2 ends in a very hilly area, so there is a possibility and Potenza is also good. Fermo can feel like a wasted opportunity with the pacing.

 

[ashhutch1997]

The Piani di Pezze gives me Finestre/Bardonecchia vibes from 2018, very hard climb/ shallow climb/ valley then short steep climb. If it works and the race breaks up on the Gaui we could have a legendary stage, however, if it doesn't work we could have a very underwhelming stage where nothing happens until the last 4km.

 

[YavorD]

Just make Cari an ITT and I'm happy..ish.

 

[Brullnux]

The Piani di Pezze gives me Finestre/Bardonecchia vibes from 2018, very hard climb/ shallow climb/ valley then short steep climb. If it works and the race breaks up on the Gaui we could have a legendary stage, however, if it doesn't work we could have a very underwhelming stage where nothing happens until the last 4km.

I think if it hadn't been for all the other MTFs I'd say it's a risk worth taking. Lots of upside. Giau isn't as hard as Finestre but it's a great climb anyway

 

[Red Rick]

I think if it hadn't been for all the other MTFs I'd say it's a risk worth taking. Lots of upside. Giau isn't as hard as Finestre but it's a great climb anyway

I don't think we're gonna see someone smash the bottom of Giau with Duran and Staulanza before it.

The climb is absurdly well suited in itself for it though, with the little bumper to Selva di Cadore.

 

[ashhutch1997]

I think if it hadn't been for all the other MTFs I'd say it's a risk worth taking. Lots of upside. Giau isn't as hard as Finestre but it's a great climb anyway

True, but the approach to the Giau is harder than the Finestre in 2018.

 

[ashhutch1997]

I don't think we're gonna see someone smash the bottom of Giau with Duran and Staulanza before it.

The climb is absurdly well suited in itself for it though, with the little bumper to Selva di Cadore.

The Duran is a very tough climb, it blew the race apart in the 2005 Giro.

 

[Red Rick]

The Duran is a very tough climb, it blew the race apart in the 2005 Giro.

It's too far away to blow the race apart.

 

[ashhutch1997]

It's too far away to blow the race apart.

Obviously, but what I mean is that it fatigues the riders nicely before the Giau, if someone wanted to blow the race apart on the Giau.

 

[Brullnux]

I don't think we're gonna see someone smash the bottom of Giau with Duran and Staulanza before it.

The climb is absurdly well suited in itself for it though, with the little bumper to Selva di Cadore.

Too hard of a combo? As in, it'll fatigue domestiques too much to then nuke it?

I think it depends on race situation and on the riders. The opportunity will be there, and I don't think it's a waste of the climb like the Giro has done with some others recently. It's one of the rare stages where the riders really will make the race, and not much is guaranteed.