The world cycling show Giro d’Italia 2026 starts from Bulgaria

A few days ago Eurosport released a video that went viral on social media in a matter of hours. The video traces the route of Giro d’Italia 2026 across Bulgaria in detail and has already attracted the attention of the cycling community and of all people who want to see Bulgaria as part of one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events.

Here is the video:

In 2026, Grande Partenza, the first stage of Giro d’Italia, will start from Bulgaria on 8 May with a 156-kilometer stage from Nessebar to Burgas. This means that for the first time in the 100-year long history of the race, a column of world-famous cyclists is going to start from Bulgaria to traverse its territory from East to West, passing through some of its most important cities and past some breathtaking landscapes. The fact that the race starts from Bulgaria will give the country global visibility with millions of viewers watching.

The first 156-kilometre stage will take place along the Black Sea coastline – from the charming Nessebar peninsula, connected to the mainland by an artificial isthmus, to Burgas – Bulgaria’s fourth biggest city. The terrain is absolutely flat making it perfect for the fastest participants. 

The second Giro stage starts from Burgas on 9 May. The participants will cover a route that is 220 kilometres long, and will reach Veliko Tarnovo on the rocky banks of the Rover Yantra, a Danube tributary. Here the cyclists are going to encounter some difficulties – some uphill before the final, leading up to the Lyaskovets monastery pass which affords competitors with a powerful end-of-race burst an opportunity to get ahead.

The third and last stage on Bulgarian territory is 220 kms. long, and will take place on 10 May between the two biggest cities in the country – Plovdiv and Sofia. The mostly flat ground here is interrupted by a steep pass near the popular winter resort of Borovets, after which the competitors will have enough time and space to make a recovery and leave Bulgaria with an unforgettable experience of the competition.

From Bulgaria the column will make a technical transfer to Italy, with the start of stage 4 planned in Calabria on 12 May. The full Giro d’Italia 2026 will be about 3,459.2 kilometres with over 49,150 metres of total elevation. The news that the start would be given from Bulgaria was welcomed with a great deal of enthusiasm by sports fans and a lot of hope by the tourist industry. Eleven years after Nikolay Mihaylov became the first Bulgarian participant in the Giro, the country has officially entered the pantheon of hosting countries of the world’s major cycling tours. 

Compiled by Veneta Nikolova
Translated by Milena Daynova
Photos: Giro d’Italia