2026 Giro d’Italia Women: From Emilia Romagna to Piemonte

2026 Giro d’Italia Women: From Emilia Romagna to Piemonte

The second Grand Tour of the year promises to be a hard but spectacular one.

The first day of December came with the unveiling of the 2026 Giro d’Italia Women route. The prestigious race, which will run between 30 May-7 June, starts in Cesenatico and concludes in Saluzzo after nine stages, more than 1100 kilometers and 12000 meters of elevation gain.

This 37th edition will have two summit finishes: Nevegal, which comes at the end of a demanding 12.7km individual time trial, and Sestriere, whose presence on the penultimate day guarantees plenty of fireworks as the fight between the general classification contenders will unfold. By far, the main highlight of the race promises to be Colle delle Finestre, which is set to be tackled for the first time in the history of the race.

A savage 18km climb featuring double-digit gradients, Finestre starts with a series of hairpins before continuing into a large and gruelling gravel section which is sure to provide ample spectacle and make a selection before the top, from where only 28 kilometers will remain until the finish in Sestriere.

“Having seen the course, I can say it’s a pretty exciting one, especially as they will tackle the legendary Colle delle Finestre. It will be hard for the riders, but spectacular for the fans. We have pure climbers on the team and we are confident this is the kind of terrain where they could do some nice things. Overall, it’s a good route, with a bit of everything for everyone: chances for the sprinters, the puncheurs, the time trialists, but also for the climbers to shake up the general classification”, said AG Insurance – Soudal manager Jolien D’hoore.