Donati doubles up in Crotone with stage win and Maglia Rosa

What had eluded him yesterday did not escape him today. Davide Donati (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe Rookies) made amends on Stage 2 of the 2026 Giro Next Gen, winning in Crotone and claiming the Maglia Rosa. For the rider from Brescia, it was another highlight in a stellar 2026 campaign, which has already brought him two victories at the Giro di Sardegna among the professionals and triumph at Paris-Roubaix Espoirs.

In the sprint, Aldo Taillieu (Visma | Lease a Bike Development) and Aubin Sparfel (Decathlon CMA CGM Development Team) had no answer to Donati, who beat them convincingly. The stage turned out to be the fastest in Giro Next Gen history, with an average speed of 48.597 km/h.

First hour at an average of 50 km/h

The stage is suited to sprinters, but that hasn’t deterred the young riders from trying to attack from afar. Once again today, the first hour flew by at an average of 50 km/h; then, after 65 km of fierce competition, Stefano Leali (Biesse-Carrera-Premac), Mees Vlot (Development Picnic PostNL), Johan Blanc (Groupama-FDJ United), Matteo Gialli, Leonardo Rossi (Italy) and Tommaso Alunni (Mg.K Vis Costruzioni e Ambiente).

The six push as hard as they can, but are forced to surrender as the peloton catches up with them 2 km from the finish, just as the pink jersey holder Kasper Haugland (Decathlon CMA CGM Development) skids on exiting a roundabout and has to put a foot down, risking losing contact. The Norwegian manages to rejoin the peloton, but it is not enough to prevent him from losing the jersey, as Davide Donati sprints to the finish line in Crotone; with a 10-second time bonus, he draws level with Haugland in the standings but overtakes him on the basis of his previous placings.

Results

FINISH ORDER
1 – Davide Donati (Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe Rookies) – 154 km in 3h10’08”, average speed 48.597 km/h
2 – Aldo Taillieu (Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development) s.t.
3 – Aubin Sparfel (Decathlon CMA CGM Development Team) s.t.

OVERALL STANDINGS
1 – Davide Donati (Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe Rookies)
2 – Kasper Haugland (Decathlon CMA CGM Development Team) at 0″
3 – Riccardo Fabbro (UC Trevigiani Energiapura Marchiol) at 8″

Just seconds after crossing the finish line, stage winner Davide Donati and the new Maglia Rosa said: ‘I came here to the Giro Next Gen to win a stage and try to take the Maglia Rosa yesterday, but it was still exciting to get it here today. In the first part of the race I was more relaxed; I even had a chance to joke around in the peloton. Then, of course, I focused. It was a rather chaotic finish but I’m happy, partly because it was a team victory.’