Human Powered Health Cycling heads to Italy for the second Grand Tour of the season, the Giro d’Italia Women, from May 30 through June 7.

La Corsa Rosa is one of the longest-running stage races in women’s cycling, with one of the richest histories, making the fight for the pink leader’s jersey – Maglia Rosa – one of the most exhilarating of the season. 

The nine stages this year make it one of the longest races in the calendar, taking the peloton over a total of 1,177 kilometers from Cesenatico in the east to Saluzzo in the northwest. With flat stages, hilly tests, an uphill time trial and mountain days, including an iconic stage to Sestriere, passing over the legendary Colle delle Finestre en route, it promises to be a race for the ages. 

An eclectic roster reflects this mix of terrain, with in-form climber and 8th-placed finisher in 2025, Barbara Malcotti, leading the team into her sixth Giro. She is joined in the mountains by fellow Grand Tour top-ten alumnae Thalita de Jong and backed up by Nina Buijsman, Carlotta Cipressi and Marit Raaijmakers. Lily Williams and sprinter Maggie Coles-Lyster will complete the squad and will have their eyes fixed on the many flat tests. 

Giro d’Italia Women Stage by Stage

5/30
Stage 1
Route: Cesenatico – Ravenna
Distance: 139 km
Parcours: Flat
Look out for: A four-lap finishing circuit for the sprint trains to deal with
What matters: Navigating some twists in the final 400 meters to get a good launch for the line

The first Maglia Rosa of this year’s Giro will likely go to a sprinter, which, as Grand Tours go recently, is rare. With all this at stake, it could be quite a chaotic start to the Giro, here on the Adriatic Sea.

5/31
Stage 2
Route: Roncade H-Farm – Caorle
Distance: 156 km
Parcours: Flat
Look out for: The first QOM points of the race on the 1 km at 12.1% Muro Da’ Del Poggio
What matters: Being well-positioned for a left-hand corner 600 meters from the line

Stage 2 is another drag race. After the QOM points are contested, it will probably follow a similar script to the opening day. Although they are not GC stages, there’s still plenty of risk from crashes, so getting to the final three kilometers (where times are neutralized if incidents do occur) within the peloton is key. 

6/1
Stage 3
Route: Bibione – Buja
Distance: 156 km
Parcours: Hilly
Look out for: The Montenars climb that tops out 22 km from the finish. 2.5 km at 7.2% with the last 1.5 km at 10.8%
What matters: Timing the launch correctly on the ever-so-slight drag up to the line

Unless the final climb is used as a launchpad or raced aggressively, stage 3 could also come down to a bunch kick. The legs will be more fatigued for the finish than in the previous two stages, though.

6/2
Stage 4
Route: Belluno – Nevegal
Distance: 12.7 km
Parcours: ITT
Look out for: A steep uphill time trial with a 7.4 km climb at 8.2%, but with steep ramps
What matters: Balancing the effort between energy conservation and all-out power, but not so much that you’re already out of the running by the start of the ascent

The stage 4 TT has 5 kilometers of flat before a 7.4 km climb and will bring the GC favourites to the fore for the first time. With brutal gradients and short bursts close to 15%, it’s an all-out effort and will reveal the form of the riders aiming for the Maglia Rosa.

6/3
Stage 5
Route: Longarone – Sante Stefano di Cadore
Distance: 146 km
Parcours: Mountains
Look out for: A double ascent of the sharp, twisting Costa climb inside the final quarter of the stage
What matters: The climbing legs need to be firing on all cylinders to stay in the fight for pink

Stage 5 takes us into the picturesque Dolomites, showing off some of the best views Italy has to offer. 3,467 meters of vertical gain and four categorized climbs make it the stage with the most climbing of the whole race. Not a day that seals overall victory, but certainly one that could see that hope go up the road.

6/4
Stage 6
Route: Ala – Brescello
Distance: 159 km
Parcours: Flat
Look out for: The potential for wind and mountain-fatigued legs to cause splits in the peloton
What matters: Staying well-positioned for most of the day before a twisting sprint showdown

Stage 6 is another one for sprinters, but wind could well impact the race if it’s blowing hard. Six 90-degree bends inside the final two kilometers and a narrower run to the line may well also affect the outcome.

6/5
Stage 7
Route: Sorbolo Mezzani – Salice Terme
Distance: 159 km
Parcours: Hilly
Look out for: The possible launchpad climb of Pietragavina, 9 km at 3.6% with a final 4.3 km at 4.7%
What matters: Staying at the head of the action on the Pietragavina climb

There’s something for every type of rider on this year's route, and if the sprint teams have had their lot by stage 7, it could be a day for opportunists. A gradual climb followed by a technical descent in the back third of the stage should encourage breakaway riders hopeful to carve out their own piece of Giro glory.

6/6
Stage 8
Route: Rivoli – Sestriere
Distance: 105 km
Parcours: Mountains
Look out for: The Colle de Finestre, 18.1 km at 9.3% with a final half on gravel
What matters: Surviving as long as possible on the Finestre, then recovering for the final 9.3 km at 5.3% climb to Sestriere

Stage 8 is the Queen stage of the 2026 Giro, and where the GC battle will really commence. With the legendary Colle de Finestre and its stretch of gravel, there is another historic mountain for the women’s peloton to tackle. After a rapid descent, the finish climb to Sestriere provides a final chase to claw time back or extend a gap.

6/7
Stage 9
Route: Saluzzo – Saluzzo
Distance: 145 km
Parcours: Mountains
Look out for: The Montoso climb, which is 8.7 km at 9.5%
What matters: Consolidating or improving upon GC position on a tough final stage

As usual, there’s no procession to end a Grand Tour in women’s cycling. Saluzzo provides the backdrop, with the Montoso climb in the first third of the stage acting as a final chance for GC contenders to improve on their position. Two more categorized climbs, then encourage aggressive racing and could well suit a strong breakaway effort. The back third of the stage is then flat, and so it should be an unpredictable, exciting stage to end the Giro. 

How to watch

USA
FloBikes
Stage 1 from 10:30 am EDT / 9:30 am CDT / 8:30 am MDT / 7:30 am PDT
Stage 2 from 7:45 am EDT / 6:45 am CDT / 5:45 am MDT / 4:45 am PDT
Stage 3 from 9:30 am EDT / 8:30 am CDT / 7:30 am MDT / 6:30 am PDT
Stage 4 from 8:15 am EDT / 7:15 am CDT / 6:15 am MDT / 5:15 am PDT
Stage 5 & 6 from 9:30 am EDT / 8:30 am CDT / 7:30 am MDT / 6:30 am PDT
Stage 7 from 9:00 am EDT / 8:00 am CDT / 7:00 am MDT / 6:00 am PDT
Stage 8 & 9 from 9:15 am EDT / 8:15 am CDT / 7:15 am MDT / 6:15 am PDT

Canada
FloBikes

Europe
Eurosport/Discovery+/HBO Max (territory dependent)
Stage 1 from 16:30 CET
Stage 2 from 12:45 CET
Stage 3 from 15:30 CET
Stage 4 from 14:15 CET
Stage 5 & 6 from 15:30 CET
Stage 7 from 15:00 CET
Stage 8 & 9 from 15:15 CET

UK
HBO Max/TNT Sports
Stage 1 from 15:30 BST
Stage 2 from 11:45 BST
Stage 3 from 14:30 BST
Stage 4 from 13:15 BST
Stage 5 & 6 from 14:30 BST
Stage 7 from 14:00 BST
Stage 8 & 9 from 14:15 BST

Times correct as of the date of publication 

Click here for the full comprehensive list of broadcasters 

What our athletes think

Barbara Malcotti

After last year, the Giro is in my heart, so I want to try to get a good result again. I have prepared well at altitude after the Vuelta, so we will see. This year, we can define the route a little differently, as we have a big mountain stage and completely flat days, but also the stage 4 time-trial. I did a recon of the Finestre, and for sure it’s going to be painful, as halfway it becomes gravel, and you are also at altitude. After a descent, you still have to climb again to Sestriere with colder legs, and it’s more painful as a result, but I really like that climb. I also did a recon of the TT. We start with a descent, and then it’s basically 1.5 k flat, so I hope to lose as little time as possible before the climb. We have quite an aggressive team, and we can be good at every stage. For me personally, I have to save energy as much as possible in the flat stages, particularly if it will be windy.

Maggie Coles-Lyster

I’m super excited for this Giro. There’s usually only one day at a big stage-race earmarked for sprinters, but to come and have four opportunities is super sick because you don't get that a lot. It’s going to be a big fight each of those days, and that’s really cool when you have a bunch of teams there ready to do the lead-outs and make it a good sprint battle. I have been training in a CORE bodysuit on my Wahoo KICKR home trainer as heat training, but also to help with altitude adaptation to boost that effect. That has really helped with the hot racing days in Belgium, and I felt that benefit already. I expect we will have some super-hot days in Italy as well, so that preparation for it has topped up my readiness. 

You can also hear diary dispatches from Maggie throughout the Giro on the Wheel Talk Podcast from Escape Collective.

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