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2026 Giro d'Italia

Giro d'Italia 2026 Stage 18 Preview: Some Calm Before The Storm

Giro d'Italia 2026 Stage 18 Preview: Some Calm Before The Storm

Stage 18 of the Giro 2026 will offer some reprieve for the riders before they face two challenging days that should decide the winner of this year's race.

May 27, 2026 by Matt Cannizzaro
Giro d'Italia 2026 Stage 18 Preview
Giro d'Italia 2026 Stage 18 Preview: An Escape Battle Is Coming2:10

Stage 17 of the Giro d’Italia 2026 likely was going to be won from the breakaway and have minimal impact on the General Classification, and that's exactly what happened.

Michael Valgren and Einer Rubio rode to the front of the race and battled through the final kilometers, while Igor Arrieta managed to close the gap and put himself in contention with 2 kilometers remaining. Moments later, it was a group of six riders jockeying, before Valgren attacked and rode to victory after years of injuries and struggles.

Andreas Leknessund ended up second for the third time in the Giro d'Italia 2026 and was followed by Damiano Caruso, Aleksandr Vlasov and Rubio.

Stage 18 on Thursday will be a rolling adventure and potentially an opportunity for the sprinters, if the expected breakaway doesn't come through again, before two hard days in the mountains finalize this year's pink jersey.

The third week of the Giro is supposed to be where the battle ensues for the GC, but has Jonas Vingegaard already put it out of reach?

The first-time Giro participant was the favorite to win it all, and once he finally grabbed hold of the pink jersey, each challenging climb that followed has just been an opportunity to add to his lead. He won Stage 16 for his fourth win of the event. He's 4 for 4 on summit finishes. 

Heading into Stage 18, he is more than four minutes ahead of Felix Gall and Thymen Arensman, and what's ahead? Two tough mountain stages. Where does the two-time Tour de France champion shine? On the climbs and summit finishes.


Unlike what's coming, Stage 18 actually features a lot of downhill riding, and the 171-kilometer ride from Fai della Paganella to Pieve di Soligo should offer a welcomed break from multiple days of challenging climbs.

Stage 18 isn't without some difficult spots, as it is quite bouncy and features two easier categorized climbs  (Cat 3 and Cat 4), but the winner again should come from either a sprint, if they can get things set up properly, or from a breakaway, which we've seen multiple times at this year's Giro.

Stage 18 is scheduled to begin at 6:45 a.m. Eastern and should conclude around 10:50 a.m. EDT. 

For viewers in Canada, FloBikes coverage of Stage 18 will begin at 7:05 a.m. Eastern.

Here’s what to know about Stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia 2026, a 171-kilometer ride from Fai della Paganella to Pieve di Soligo:

Stage 18: Giro d’Italia 2026 

On paper, the flatter Stage 18 could be one for the sprinters, though they missed out on a perfect opportunity in Stage 15, when the day was won from the breakaway.

The key for the sprinters will be to fight through the exhaustion of nearly three weeks of racing and avoid letting anyone ride free. 

In the final kilometers, there will be more downhill riding that leads into a final curve and 300-meter straight finish at a slight incline.

Along with a shot at the spotlight, Stage 18 will offer some reprieve for all the riders before the two challenging days that should decide the overall winner.

Kilometers To Miles: How Long Is Stage 18 Of The Giro d’Italia 2026?

Stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia 2026 is 171 kilometers, or approximately 106.25 miles long.

Giro d’Italia 2026 Stage 18 Profile

Here is what the elevation looks like for Stage 18:

How To Watch The Giro d’Italia 2026 Stage 18

The Giro d’Italia 2026 is streaming on FloBikes and the FloSports app for viewers in Canada. 

Highlights, race replays and breaking news will be available on both platforms.

In the United States, HBO Max is the official provider for the Giro d’Italia 2026.

Who Won Stage 18 Of The Giro d’Italia In 2025?

Stage 18 of the Giro d'Italia 2025 was one where the GC riders held back a bit, which allowed the breakaway to control the day.

From that group of riders, 31-year-old German Nico Denz escaped and rode solo to the victory, finishing more than a minute ahead of Italy's Mirco Maestri. 

It was the first win of the 2025 edition of the Giro for a Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe team that lost team leader Primoz Roglic earlier in the week.

Isaac del Toro was able to keep the pink leader's jersey for another day, maintaining a lead of 41 seconds over Richard Carapaz and 51seconds over eventual champion Simon Yates.

The stage was 144 kilometers and ended with two 12.5-kilometer laps. The peloton actually was so slow that there was a danger it would start its first circuit just as the leaders were beginning their last loop.

Giro d’Italia 2026 Results: Here’s Who Has Won Each Stage So Far

When Does The Giro d’Italia 2026 Start?

The Giro d’Italia 2026 starts May 8 and will conclude May 31. 

The schedule includes 21 stages and three rest days (May 11, May 18, May 25).

Every day, the cyclists start together. Every stage varies in distance and physical demand, and the characteristics of each stage determine what type of rider should excel or how the race should finish. 

For example, some stages feature flat finishes, and that means the sprinters likely will be battling for those stage wins.

How Long Is The Giro d’Italia 2026?

The route for the Giro d’Italia 2026 can be found here.

The race is 21 stages and will cover 3,468 kilometers.

What Is The Schedule For The Giro d’Italia 2026?

Here is the complete schedule for the Giro d’Italia 2026.

How Many Teams/Riders Compete In The Giro d’Italia?

Traditionally, there are 22 or 23 teams and up to 184 competitors in the Giro d’Italia.

Here’s the list for 2026:

  • Alpecin-Premier Tech
  • Bahrain Victorious
  • Bardiani CSF 7 Saber
  • Decathlon CMA CGM Team
  • EF Education - EasyPost
  • Groupama-FDJ United
  • INEOS Grenadiers
  • Lidl – Trek
  • Lotto Intermarché
  • Movistar Team
  • NSN Cycling Team
  • Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team
  • Red Bull – Bora - Hansgrohe
  • Soudal Quick-Step
  • Team Jayco AlUla
  • Team Picnic Postnl
  • Team Polti VisitMalta
  • Team Visma | Lease a Bike
  • Tudor Pro Cycling Team
  • UAE Team Emirates XRG
  • Unibet Rose Rockets
  • UNO-X Mobility 
  • XDS Astana Team

Who Won The Giro d’Italia In 2025?

At 32 years old, Great Britain’s Simon Yates made history at the Giro d’Italia, not because of his age, but because he won the race without winning any of the 21 stages. It was the first time that happened since Alberto Contador did so a decade earlier.

It was the second Grand Tour victory for Yates, who won the Vuelta a España in 2018, and it will be his last, as he announced his retirement seven months after winning the Giro.

Yates didn’t secure the coveted pink jersey until Stage 20, when he shot past Richard Carapaz and longtime leader Isaac Del Toro on the Colle delle Finistre climb, one of the most anticipated challenges on the cycling calendar. The same climb broke Yates in his attempt to win the Giro in 2018.

Del Toro, who had ridden in pink for 11 days, might have fallen short in his GC bid, but he became the first athlete from North America to win the Best Young Rider title. 

Heading into Stage 20, Del Toro was 43 seconds ahead of Carapaz and 1 minute, 21 seconds in front of Yates. By the end of the day, Yates was nearly four minutes clear of Del Toro, with Carapaz another minute back. 

In 2024, Tadej Pogacar won the Giro d’Italia in 2024 as part of a memorable season that saw him become the first rider since 1998 to win the Giro and the Tour de France in the same season. 

He then added a win at the 2024 World Championships in Switzerland to became the first cyclist since 1987 to win the Giro, TDF and a world championship in the same season. 

The Giro d'Italia 2026 Stage 17 Win That Meant Everything

In Andalo after Stage 17 of the Giro d’Italia 2026, where Michael Valgren attacked in the final kilometer to take an emotional first Grand Tour stage victory after years in the World Tour peloton. 

We hear from Valgren and his EF Education team after the huge win, while race leader Jonas Vingegaard reacts to another successful day in pink. 

Andreas Leknessund reflects on yet another second-place finish, and Larry Warbasse explains why his team had to control the race with Damiano Caruso moving up the GC standings during a thrilling day for the attackers in Trento. 

We also hear from Nickolas Zukowsky in the morning, who abandoned later in the day.


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