Last year Albania, this year Bulgaria - the charm of the Giro d'Italia and its pink colors will be felt by another country from which the legendary cycling race will start.
The most beautiful part of the season for "gladiators on two wheels" begins, it's time for the first of the three biggest races, and it all starts today from Nessebar - an ancient Bulgarian city on the Black Sea coast.
After three stages in eastern Europe, the Giro returns to Italy and heads north from the south, where it will pass several iconic climbs, while this year, too, a new king will be crowned in Rome.
And just like two years ago, when he triumphed convincingly Tadej Pogacar, and this time the Giro has a big favorite.
DANE COMPLETES TOUR, VUELTA AND GIRO
He will be Jonas Vingegord, a guy who is already a cycling legend. The Dane has already been the best at the Tour de France twice (2022, 2023), won the Vuelta a España last year, and now he wants to triumph at the Giro to join the big names of the sport.
So far, only seven cyclists have managed to win all three major races. They are Žak Anketil, Felice Gimondi, Eddie Merckx, Bernard Ino, Alberto Contador, Vincenzo Nibali i Chris Frum.
If Vingegaard lives up to expectations and the strong role of favorite that has been imposed on him, he will become the eighth magnificent. Is that the goal or is he to follow Pogačar (not participating this time) in his triumphs at the Giro and then the Tour two years ago?
- No, I haven't thought about what will happen after the Giro. Winning the three biggest races is my goal, that's all - Vingegaard told Gazeta dello Sport.
The Dane arrives at the Giro in great form after triumphs at Paris-Nice and the Tour of Catalonia, but Italy believes in homegrown hope.
He is Julio Pelicari, so even though Jaj Hindli, the 2022 champion, should be Vingegoord's main rival, the hosts believe that the guy from Macerata could continue his great rides in 2026.
Pellicari won the Tour of the Alps in a dominant manner, and before that he was third overall at the “Tyreno-Adriaco” and at the season-opening race through Valencia. He obviously learned a lot from his mentors at the Red Bull team. Primož Roglič.
Two years ago, he received pink glasses and a T-shirt as a gift from future champion Pogačar after a stage - now he will try to match them in the standings.
Besides Hindley and Pellicari, on paper there are plenty of others who could get involved in the fights at the top - Egan Bernal, Felix Gal, Derek G. West, Enrik Mas, Ben O'Konor, Adam Jejts...
Visma triumphed last year thanks to the spectacle Simon Yates on the Finestra Pass when he "killed" hopes Isaka del Tora i Richard Carapaz (they are not participating this year), and now it is the turn of the first driver of this team, Vingegord.
BLOKHUS, MARATHON TIMER, HAS A 2.233-METER POINT
Seven mountain stages, almost 50.000 meters of climbing and only one individual time trial, but 42 kilometers long, are the main features of this year's Giro, and in addition to Bulgaria and Italy, one stage will be ridden in Switzerland.
After three stages in Bulgaria, there will be 18 from south to north - across Naples, the Apennines, Milan, the Alps and the Dolomites...
The seventh stage brings a spectacle when cyclists will fight for the glory of Blockhaus, the famous peak in the Apennines where the legendary Merckx triumphed in 1967.
It will be followed by two more mountain races, and then a marathon time trial along the Tyrrhenian Sea.
The spectacle in the north begins in the Aosta Valley, when stage 14 will end in Pila.
The grand finale will take place on stages 19 and 20 in the Dolomites. The toughest route is Feltre-Alege with as much as 5.000 meters of ascent, marked by the highest point of this year's race, Passo Đau, as well as Passo Falcarego, both above 2.000 meters above sea level.
At the Đau Pass, at exactly 2.233 meters, the Ćima Kopi Award will be awarded for the winner of the highest climb.
The spectacle can begin - the ancient city in Bulgaria and the eternal Rome are separated by 3.459 kilometers of riding, 21 stages and three weeks.
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