The 109th Giro d'Italia begins on Friday 8 May 2026 with a historic Grande Partenza in Nessebar, Bulgaria, the first time the Corsa Rosa has ever started on Bulgarian soil. Three weeks and 3,466 kilometres later, the peloton will arrive in Rome for the final stage on 31 May, and one rider will be crowned champion of cycling's most beautiful race.
Jonas Vingegaard starts as the clear favourite to win the maglia rosa. After winning the Vuelta a España last year, the Visma | Lease a Bike leader now has the chance to complete the full Grand Tour set.
Bet on all Giro d'Italia markets, GC winner, rider head-to-heads, points classification, and team classification, at Duelbits Sportsbook.
Odds correct at time of writing and subject to change.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Race | 109th Giro d'Italia |
| Dates | 8-31 May 2026 |
| Grande Partenza | Nessebar, Bulgaria |
| Finish | Rome, Italy |
| Stages | 21 |
| Total Distance | 3,466 km |
| Elevation Gain | 49,150 m |
| Summit Finishes | 6 |
| Time Trial | 1 (42km, flat, Massa) |
| Rest Days | 11 May, 18 May, 25 May |
The reigning champion Simon Yates has gone into retirement, so he won't be here to defend his crown. Instead, his former teammate Jonas Vingegaard enters as favourite.
Following his victory at the Vuelta a España last year, the 29-year-old Dane now has the opportunity to complete a Grand Tour treble in Italy and join an elite group. Vingegaard has enjoyed a strong start to the season, securing dominant victories at Paris-Nice and the Volta a Catalunya. He can be considered the strongest general classification contender, both in the mountains and against the clock. He is also supported by a formidable team, featuring talisman Sepp Kuss, trusted lieutenant Victor Campenaerts, as well as Wilco Kelderman, Bart Lemmen, Timo Kielich, Tim Rex and Davide Piganzoli.
While Jonas Vingegaard is the outright, hands-down, overwhelming favourite to complete his Grand Tour grand slam with a maiden maglia rosa triumph, the Dane's later focus on the Tour de France could provide opportunities to a host of plucky outsiders.
The 42km flat time trial to Massa is Vingegaard's second major weapon after the mountains. Such is the flat nature of the parcours, a specialist like Vingegaard here could take as much time from his rivals as he might on a gruelling summit finish, perhaps more.
Giulio Pellizzari (22), nicknamed the 'Duke of Camerino', has underlined his credentials for the Giro d'Italia with a breakthrough performance at the Tour of the Alps, where he claimed overall victory in commanding fashion. That result came on the back of an already impressive third place at Tirreno-Adriatico, confirming that the Italian is building momentum. It marks a clear step forward from 2025, when he finished sixth at both the Giro and the Vuelta a España. In Italy, he initially rode in support of Primož Roglič, only stepping into a freer role after the Slovenian's withdrawal, a shift that hinted at his potential as a leader.
The tifosi are desperate for a homegrown champion, and Pellizzari's attacking style is perfectly suited to the late Dolomite stages. A podium finish would be a remarkable achievement; a stage win on Italian soil could make him a national hero overnight.
The 2022 Giro winner will have fond memories from Blockhaus, which features on Stage 9. This year's route only has one time-trial, so the Australian could be in the mix for a podium spot regardless.
Adam Yates has been mentioned alongside Giulio Pellizzari, Thymen Arensman, Derek Gee-West, Egan Bernal, Enric Mas, Felix Gall, and Jai Hindley as potential GC contenders.
Netcompany-Ineos' Egan Bernal looks to be in good shape again. The Colombian has enjoyed a string of strong results coming into the Giro, including a podium finish at the Tour of the Alps. His squad looks strong too, with Thymen Arensman here to play domestique.
The 2022 Giro champion. Jai Hindley won at Blockhaus when the Giro last visited in 2022 on his way to snaring his one and only Grand Tour title. Blockhaus features on Stage 9 in 2026, giving Hindley a circuit he knows better than almost anyone in the field.
Expecting a victory would be a tough ask for the Austrian with a 42-kilometer flat time trial on course, but in the mountains he remains as strong as in 2023 when he had his breakthrough.
Outsiders include Tour de France top five finisher Felix Gall, Vuelta podium merchant Enric Mas and UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
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All odds in decimal format. Check Duelbits for live prices.
| Rider | Odds | vs | Rider | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pellizzari, Giulio | 1.32 | vs | Gall, Felix | 3.10 |
| O Connor, Ben | 1.38 | vs | Kulset, Johannes | 2.80 |
| Gee, Derek | 1.42 | vs | Mas Nicolau, Enric | 2.65 |
| Yates, Adam | 1.43 | vs | Buitrago, Santiago | 2.60 |
| Rondel, Mathys | 1.45 | vs | Kuss, Sepp | 2.55 |
| Lopez Perez, Juan Pedro | 1.52 | vs | Lopez, Harold Martin | 2.36 |
| Harper, Chris | 1.57 | vs | Pinarello, Alessandro | 2.26 |
| Bernal, Egan | 1.62 | vs | Hindley, Jai | 2.16 |
| Piganzoli, Davide | 1.69 | vs | Vlasov, Aleksandr | 2.04 |
| Arensman, Thymen | 1.70 | vs | Storer, Michael | 2.03 |
Standout H2H value picks:
Pellizzari vs Gall at 1.32/3.10 - Pellizzari's Tour of the Alps win and Italian home form make him the clear pick over Felix Gall. His trajectory this season is one of the most impressive of any Giro contender.
Bernal vs Hindley at 1.62/2.16 - Bernal is priced as favourite but 2.16 on Hindley at his historic stage (Blockhaus on Stage 9) has appeal for longer-term positioning betting.
Gee vs Mas at 1.42/2.65 - Derek Gee's Lidl-Trek form makes him the lean, but Enric Mas at 2.65 represents value if the Spaniard finds his mountain legs in the third week.
| Team | Odds | vs | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 1.40 | vs | Team Visma-Lease A Bike | 2.75 |
| Alpecin Premier Tech | 1.44 | vs | Unibet Rose Rockets | 2.60 |
| Movistar Team | 1.44 | vs | Tudor Pro Cycling Team | 2.60 |
| Lidl-Trek | 1.44 | vs | XDS Astana Team | 2.60 |
| Bardiani CSF 7 Saber | 1.58 | vs | Team Polti VisitMalta | 2.24 |
| Red Bull-BORA-Hansgrohe | 1.61 | vs | Ineos Grenadiers | 2.18 |
| Uno-X Mobility | 1.72 | vs | Team BikeExchange-Ayco | 2.00 |
| EF Education-EasyPost | 1.72 | vs | Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | 2.00 |
| NSN Cycling Team | 1.62 | vs | Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team | 2.17 |
| Decathlon CMA CGM | 1.85 | vs | Team Bahrain Victorious | 1.85 |
| Team Picnic PostNL | 1.85 | vs | Groupama-FDJ | 1.85 |
Notable team H2H pick: UAE Team Emirates-XRG at 1.40 vs Visma at 2.75 is one of the most interesting markets on the board. Despite Visma having the individual GC favourite in Vingegaard, UAE's depth, Adam Yates plus Jay Vine as a climbing weapon plus strong domestiques, makes their team classification case compelling.
Red Bull-BORA-Hansgrohe at 1.61 vs Ineos at 2.18 - Red Bull arrive with a two-man GC threat in Pellizzari and Hindley. Strong value at 1.61.
| Rider | Odds | vs | Rider | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scaroni, Christian | 1.27 | vs | Ulissi, Diego | 3.40 |
| Vlasov, Aleksandr | 1.35 | vs | Sheffield, Magnus | 2.95 |
| Ballerini, Davide | 1.43 | vs | Kubis, Lukas | 2.60 |
| Groves, Kaden | 1.50 | vs | Turner, Benjamin Elliott | 2.43 |
| Strong, Corbin | 1.49 | vs | Vendrame, Andrea | 2.45 |
| Aular Sanabria, Orluis Alberto | 1.67 | vs | Van Uden, Casper | 2.09 |
For the points jersey, Jonathan Milan is the obvious favourite. Paul Magnier, Kaden Groves, Tobias Lund Andresen and Dylan Groenewegen offer strong opposition, but Milan's speed, durability and lead-out make him the rider to beat.
Best points H2H pick: Groves, Kaden at 1.50 vs Turner, Kaden Groves is one of the most reliable sprinters in the peloton and a stronger pick than the 1.50 suggests in a head-to-head market.
The climb to Blockhaus is one of the toughest in the sport. Set deep in the rugged and remote Abruzzo, Blockhaus is an exposed, often blustery test that's not incomparable to Mont Ventoux. With a maximum tilt just shy of 14%, the 13.6km climb averaging 8.4% will be the first true test of GC ambitions in the race.
There is one 40-kilometer time trial finishing in Massa and it is pan-flat. Such is the flat nature of the parcours, a specialist like Vingegaard here could take as much time from his rivals as he might on a gruelling summit finish, perhaps more.
Stage 14 packs five categorised climbs into just 133km, the road edging uphill from the outset with the Alpine resort of Pila above the pristine Aosta Valley as the finale. With only around 20km of flat roads, this is pure climbing territory.
The final week gets off to a relative bang with this short-but-sharp 113km affair through Switzerland that squeezes five categorised climbs and 3,000m of climbing into around three hours of what could be breakneck racing. The 11.7km climb to Carì averages just under 8% and has a maximum gradient of 13%.
The final mountain stage features a double serving of Piancavallo (13km at 8%) — the closing climb will be tackled from the same side and will crown the champion elect after 199km in the saddle.
| Market | Selection | Odds | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|
| GC H2H | Pellizzari vs Gall | 1.32 (Pellizzari) | Tour of the Alps winner, home terrain, rising form |
| GC H2H | Yates vs Buitrago | 1.43 (Yates) | 2022 Giro winner, knows this race |
| GC H2H | Bernal vs Hindley | 2.16 (Hindley) | Each-way value, Blockhaus specialist |
| Team H2H | Red Bull-BORA vs Ineos | 1.61 (Red Bull) | Dual GC leaders, strong team |
| Team H2H | UAE vs Visma | 2.75 (Visma) | Value on team depth to shine |
| Points H2H | Groves vs Turner | 1.50 (Groves) | Elite sprinter, reliable points scorer |
All Giro d'Italia betting markets are live on Duelbits Sportsbook under International → Cycling → Giro d'Italia.
Odds correct at time of writing and subject to change.
When is the Giro d'Italia 2026? 8–31 May 2026. The race starts in Nessebar, Bulgaria (the first Grande Partenza in Bulgarian history) and finishes in Rome, Italy.
Who is the favourite to win the 2026 Giro d'Italia? Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) is the overwhelming favourite, seeking to add the Giro to his Tour de France (×2) and Vuelta victories.
Who are the main challengers to Vingegaard? Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-BORA, Tour of the Alps winner), Egan Bernal (Netcompany-Ineos), Adam Yates (UAE, 2022 Giro winner), Thymen Arensman, Jai Hindley, Enric Mas, Felix Gall, and Derek Gee.
What are the key stages of the 2026 Giro? Stage 9 (Blockhaus summit), Stage 11 (42km flat TT to Massa), Stage 14 (Pila, Aosta Valley), Stage 17 (Carì, Switzerland), and Stage 20 (double Piancavallo).
Who won the 2025 Giro d'Italia? Simon Yates, who has since retired. Vingegaard was his Visma teammate.
What cycling betting markets are on Duelbits for the Giro? Outright GC winner, rider head-to-heads, points classification head-to-heads, team classification head-to-heads, and mountain classification. 10+ outright markets available.
Where does the Giro d'Italia 2026 start? Nessebar, Bulgaria, the first time the race has held a Grande Partenza in Bulgaria. Three Bulgarian stages are followed by transfer to southern Italy.
