Queen stage in the Dolomites: The Giro is just around the corner

The Giro d'Italia enters its 109th edition on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The Italian tour naturally also leads into the Dolomites, where the peloton faces a challenging task.

07 May 2026

From: dpa/nie

The second most important Grand Tour for professional cyclists starts on Friday with a 147-kilometer stage from Nessebar to Burgos. Two further stages in Bulgaria follow, before the race resumes in Italy after a rest day on Tuesday. The Giro d'Italia concludes in Rome on May 31 after 3.468 kilometers and almost 50.000 meters of elevation gain.

Jonas Vingegaard is the clear favorite. The Dane has already won the Tour de France twice, and last year he also triumphed in the Vuelta a España. A victory at the Giro d'Italia would make the 29-year-old only the eighth rider in history to win all three Grand Tours.

Jonas Vingegaard is the clear favorite for the overall victory. © APA/afp / LUCA BETTINI

The toughest competitors are likely to be the Italians Giulio Ciccone and Giulio Pellizzari. Also in contention is Briton Adam Yates, who leads the UAE Team, and Dutchman Thymen Arensman should also be considered.

Queen's stage in the Dolomites

From the fourth stage onwards, the peloton will gradually work its way from the southern tip of Italy towards the north – along the way, the mountain finish at the Blockhaus awaits, where the first major attack on the pink jersey is expected. After further detours through Liguria, the Aosta Valley, and Lombardy, the race will finally head to the Dolomites. However, Vingegaard and his fellow riders will not be competing in South Tyrol; stages 17, 18, 19, and 20 will take place in Trentino, Belluno, and Friuli.

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The queen stage takes place on May 29th. The 19th stage of the Giro d'Italia covers 151 kilometers from Feltre to Alleghe (Piani di Pezzé), with almost 5000 meters of elevation gain. This stage is considered one of the toughest high-mountain stages of recent years.

Keywords cycling racing bike Tour of Italy jonas vingegaard