Giro d'Italia 2026 Predictions & Betting tips
Find our free prediction on the winner of the 2026 Giro (Giro d'Italia), as well as our expert predictions on all the stages of this year's Giro d'Italia. Lots of information for your cycling sports betting!
Giro d'Italia 2026 presentation and prediction - Cycling
The Giro d'Italia 2026 will be the 109th edition of the race and will take place in twenty-one stages from 8 May to 31 May 2026 for a total of 3,466 km. This year, the start is in Nessebar, Bulgaria, and the finish is in Rome for the fourth consecutive time and the eighth in the history of the Giro.
In the last edition of La Corsa Rosa, British's Simon Yates won ahead of Mexican's Isaac Del Toro and Colombian's Richard Carapaz. He took advantage of the absence of Tadej Pogačar, who won the previous year. It remains to be seen who will be the next winner of this year.
Fans and bettors are wondering who the favourites are for the Giro d'Italia 2026 and which are the most important stages that could allow the candidates to put a big dent in the pink jersey. We’ll explore the answers to these and other questions on this page dedicated to the Giro d'Italia 2026.
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Winner's prediction: Who will win the Giro d'Italia 2026?
Main star of the cyclism recently, Tadej Pogačar, is absent from this Giro d'Italia 2026, leaving the field wide open for other riders in the peloton to win. Other potential favorites like Juan Ayuso (Lidl – Trek), Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull – Bora-hansgrohe) and Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) will not be taking part either.
Given the circumstances, one clear favourite stands out for this year’s overall victory: Jonas Vingegaard! The bookmakers have set the odds on the likely winner of the 2026 Giro d’Italia, and the Danish rider from Visma is indeed at the top of the rankings, well ahead of his rivals.
The two spots to complete the podium will surely see a hard fight, and there are many to believe in. João Almeida, Giulio Pellizzari or Adam Yates should be in the battle. However, the attention will be focused on the main favorite of the competition. Our Giro prediction: Jonas Vingegaard wins!
Giro d'Italia prediction - odds on the favourites for the Giro 2026
- Jonas Vingegaard - 1.16
- Giulio Pellizzari - 6.00
- Felix Gall - 17.00
- Adam Yates - 19.00
- Thymen Arensman - 26.00
- Egan Bernal - 26.00
- Giulio Ciccone - 34.00
- Jai Hindley - 34.00
- Derek Gee - 41.00
- Michael Storer - 41.00
- Jay Vine - 41.00
- Enric Mas Nicolau - 51.00
- Santiago Buitrago - 81.00
- Sepp Kuss - 81.00
- Ben O'Connor - 126.00
Odds from on Bet365
Giro d'Italia: the route stage by stage
The Giro d'Italia 2026, the 109th edition of the famous race scheduled from 8 May to 31 May, features a time trial, eight flat stages and seven mountain stages.
The intensity of this year's race is set to rise in leaps and bounds, and it's likely to be a thriller right to the end. Indeed, the first week is favourable to rouleurs and baroudeurs. The second week is for montain's specialist riders, with the ascent of the Blockaus (13,6 kilometers at 8,4%) during the 7th stage, and other big Alpes hard stages. The time trial will also take place on this second week.
The biggest stage of the Giro will be the 19th stage, with 6 montains passes in the Dolomites. This will probably define the winner and offer a great show, as always during the montains stages of the Giro d'Italia. Finally, the finish in Rome on 31 May will bring this 2026 edition of the Giro to a stunning conclusion.
In total, 3 countries are crossed (Bulgaria, Italy, Switzerland) and there will be 21 stages scheduled over three weeks of the race, totalling 3466 kilometres and 48 700 metres of elevation gain.
Cycling betting beginners: How does the Giro d'Italia work?
The Giro d'Italia is a cycling race organised every year during spring in Italy. Divided into 21 stages, it sees many of the world's best riders compete to win one or more stages, wear the pink jersey reserved for the leader of the classification, and attempt to win the points classification or the final classification that enshrines the rider in a roll of honour with the sport’s biggest names.
For three weeks, all eyes of two-wheel enthusiasts will be on the most beautiful Italian landscapes of great mountains, plains, coastlines, hills and big cities... a route that allows a whole range of skills to be showcased between the different riders. At the end of the 21 stages of the race, the best will wear the pink jersey and win the final classification of the Giro d'Italia cycling race.
Giro d'Italia classification: how is it calculated?
There are several classifications in the Giro d'Italia, but the only one that is of any importance is the individual classification. This is the one that determines which rider is entitled to wear the pink jersey and which determines the overall winner.
The individual classification is determined by the sum of the times achieved by each rider during the individual stages of the race. At the end of the event, the one who finishes the Giro in the shortest possible time is named the winner of the Giro d'Italia.
In addition to the individual classification, there is also a points classification that awards the Cyclamen jersey: it rewards the rider who has most often placed in the first places at the end of the stages or who has crossed the finish line among the first at the flying sprints.
There is also the classification of the best climber, with its famous blue jersey, which rewards the best rider on the different climbs. On the different summits, points are awarded to the first riders to reach the top, depending on the category of the climb and the order of passage.
It should also be noted that at the Giro d'Italia, there is also a white jersey that rewards the best placed Under 26 rider in the general classification. A team classification is also established, adding up the times of all riders of each team who have reached the finish line.
How to make winning Giro predictions?
In order to predict the Giro d'Italia like the best bettors, it is necessary to follow certain indications throughout the race. Here are the main indicators our cycling specialists rely on during each stage of the 'pink' race:
- Take into account the nature of the stage
- Take into account the weather conditions
- Taking into account the location of the stage
- Taking into account the different classifications
- Taking into account the last stage of the riders
- Take into account the nature of the stage
To correctly predict each stage of the Giro d'Italia, the first thing to do is to know the nature of the stage. Don't get trapped and don't bet on the best rider on paper: Vingegaard will not win every stage of the Tour!
It is imperative to know whether the test of the day is a mountain stage, a flat stage, a hill stage, or even an individual time trial. This will give a precise indication of which riders are most likely to shine (for example: a sprinter will not be able to do much in a mountain stage, when on the contrary he will have an advantage on the flat).
Taking the weather conditions into account
In addition to knowing the nature of the day's stage, you need to take into account the expected weather conditions. Is rain expected? Are high temperatures expected? What is the air quality like if the riders were to cross a city? So many questions need to be answered to have a better chance of success in predicting the individual stages of the Giro d'Italia.
If a possible thunderstorm is forecast, for example, or even strong gusts of wind, watch out because accidents could be a possibility, as well as caution on the part of the riders announced as favourites. In the past, the weather has already played tricks on the various cyclists involved in the Giro d'Italia and, consequently, also on bettors.
Taking into account the location of the stage
The third criterion to be analysed in order to predict a stage as correctly as possible: the location of that day's race. Here, it is above all historical data that we must look for. Pay attention not only to the home riders (they are from the region, so expect a more than certain attack), but also to the performance of each one on that type of terrain.
A rider who, for example, has won a similar stage in a past Giro d'Italia or other grand tour will have to be watched very carefully. This data really has to be taken into account on a daily basis and can make all the difference in placing a winning bet.
Take into account the different rankings
Fourth piece of advice: you should take into account the different classifications at the Giro d'Italia. Apart from the individual general classification, which remains the most important and which in any case concerns a small group of riders, it will be crucial to always take a look at the points classification, the best climber classification, the best young rider classification and the team classification. They will systematically give an indication of the challenges of each rider, and thus of his or her motivation/need to perform on the day's stage.
For example, if a rider is in the running for the blue jersey (best climber), he can be expected to put up a fight if the day's stage includes several summit passages. In the same spirit, well-placed sprinters in the points classification will need to be closely watched if the day's stage is more flat. They will all have a growing desire to succeed.
It should not be forgotten that in some stages the favourites for the final victory of the Giro d'Italia will try above all not to lose time on their main rivals. The riders to follow will therefore be those who have a greater interest in taking the day's victory, while the so-called 'captains' may mark themselves and leave it to riders far behind in the general classification.
Set up an account with several bookmakers
Finally, our last piece of advice is very important, as it can have a significant influence on the amount of your winnings when betting on the Giro. Our recommendation is as follows: multiply your registrations with online sports betting sites.
By doing so, not only will you be able to benefit from welcome bonuses, enabling you to make your first sports bets without risk, but you'll also be able to take advantage of the best odds on the Giro. In fact, by comparing the cycling odds at the various French players, you can see the huge difference on certain bets.
A podium finish by Enric Mas may be quoted at 6.00 on one site and 10.00 on another, representing a difference of €60 in potential winnings for a bet of just €10. More than for any other sport, comparing the odds and being able to play the best one allows you to significantly optimise your cycling betting winnings.
Giro d'Italia predictions: what not to do!
To avoid jeopardising your chances of placing winning predictions on the Giro d'Italia 2026, keep in mind that there are a few pitfalls to avoid when betting on cycling and the big stage races. Here, according to our cycling specialists, is what not to do when betting on the Giro d'Italia:
- Don't vary your bets on the Giro 2026
- Only bet on the prestige of a rider
- Disregard the composition of the individual cycling teams
- Not being informed about what the context of the stage may be
- Betting only on small odds
- Being attracted by high odds without having previously carried out any analysis
By avoiding these 6 traps and following the 5 tips given above, you stand a good chance of optimising your chances of success by betting on the Giro d'Italia. All absolutely not to be underestimated.
Conclusion: How to bet on the Giro d'Italia?
In summary, it is essential to know each stage in detail before betting on the Giro d'Italia. While the determination of the final winner depends on a certain logic (full line-up, maximum support for the riders within a team, race experience, etc.), predicting the winner of a stage remains a complicated matter in every season during the Giro d'Italia.
Therefore, don't hesitate for a moment to follow the daily forecasts of our cycling specialists. For each stage, they report their feelings and opinions on the potential winner of the day. It will be up to everyone to take advantage of this, to place as many sports bets as possible on the various online betting sites. For sports fans in general, we also suggest checking out all our sport predictions made for the other sports on the schedule.
Our Giro d'Italia predictions of the moment
Our Giro - Tour d'Italie predictions and betting tips will be available soon. Check back regularly for the latest insights.
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Giro d'Italia 2026 : Frequently Asked Questions
The record number of victories at the Giro d'Italia belongs to three cyclists: Italians Alfredo Binda and Fausto Coppi, as well as Belgian Eddy Merckx, who have stood on the top step of the podium on five occasions.
The Giro d'Italia 2026 will start on May 8 from Nessebar, Bulgaria.
The Giro d'Italia 2026 will end on 31 May with the Rome-Rome stage.
The Giro d'Italia 2026 will be run through Bulgaria, Switzerland and mainly between northern and central Italy.
Those tuning in from the United Kingdom can find television coverage of the Giro d’Italia on Eurosport (channels 412 and 413) and GCN. Streaming of La Corsa Rosa is also available through Discovery+.
There will be 21 stages of the Giro d'Italia 2026 for a total of 3,466 km. There will be a total of 48,700 metres of altitude difference compared to 52,500 in 2025.
Between 1946 and 1951, the Giro d'Italia offered a rather bizarre prize: the black jersey, awarded to the last in the classification. It became highly coveted among riders who were unable to show themselves in the top positions but was later abolished in protest by the riders. It was exceptionally reintroduced in 1967 and the black number was introduced for the 2008 edition with the same value.
We do not yet know how much will be allocated this year to the winner of the Giro d'Italia.
But for the 2024 edition, here's how the money was distributed. The winner of the Giro d'Italia collects, between official compensation and prizes from sponsors, a sum of around 265,000 euros. A sum that is then divided equally with his team mates. The second place winner gets around 133,000 euros and the third 69,000.
The stage winner receives €11,000, the runner-up €5,500 and the third place €2,800. There are also two flying sprints within each stage and the winner earns €500.
Each stage in the pink jersey is worth €2,000, while the remaining jerseys (blue, cyclamen and white) are worth €750 per day. The cyclamen jersey rewards the overall winner with €10,000. The same prize for the white jersey of the best young rider, while the prize for the best climber is €5,000. Finally, the winning team in the team classification receives €5,000.
