With the 2026 edition, the Giro Next Gen undergoes a slight change in identity. Its prestige remains intact, as does the dream of wearing the Maglia Rosa, but the setting changes—with all stages taking place in Southern Italy—and so does the overall design of the route. This year, all the decisive stages for the general classification are packed into the final three days, while the opening part of the race should favour sprinters and attackers.
Stage 1, from Reggio Calabria to Vibo Valentia, is not completely flat because of the relatively straightforward Mileto KOM in the finale, but a bunch sprint from a largely intact peloton appears the most likely outcome. Barring surprises, Stage 2, from Tropea to Crotone, should end in a similar fashion. From a profile standpoint, it is even less demanding.
Stage 3, crossing from Calabria into Basilicata, is more difficult to read. From Sibari to Villa d’Agri di Marsicovetere, the riders will tackle a constantly undulating route through the Lucanian hinterland. With no brutal gradients, the stage should not trouble the GC contenders, though it could encourage some outsiders to launch long-range moves. The key obstacle late on is the climb to Viggiano (8.8 km at 4.2%), not particularly steep but coming around a dozen kilometres from the finish.
The following day, the race leaves the stunning city of Matera and heads into Puglia, finishing in Corato (Molino Casillo). A roughly 40-kilometre circuit will be covered twice in the closing part of the stage. Riders will tackle the ascent to Castel del Monte (4.7 km at 4.7%) twice, the last passage coming about 20 kilometres from the line, but the more resilient sprinters should survive without major difficulties. Stage 5, however, is tailor-made for punchers and classics specialists. Starting and finishing in Bacoli, it features six laps of the Monte di Procida circuit, ridden in the opposite direction compared to the Giro d’Italia in 2022, won by Thomas De Gendt. Repeated passages over the Monte di Procida ramp (around 1.5 km at 6–7%), coupled with the sharp Mofete rise, which reaches gradients of 15%, are bound to thin out the field. GC riders will need to stay alert and avoid getting caught out.
The favourites are expected to begin their real battle only on Stage 6, entirely within Lazio, over the Apennines from Velletri to Subiaco–Monte Livata. The decisive move will probably come on the finishing climb, which stretches for 15.8 kilometres at an average gradient of 5.9%. At 1,352 metres above sea level, it will also mark the highest point of the 2026 Giro Next Gen. After several days of waiting, the climbers are expected to light up the race. The Queen Stage is likely to be Stage 7, entirely in Abruzzo, from Sulmona to Piana delle Mele (Guardiagrele). The peloton will first face the short but punishing ascent of Forcella di Acciano (4.7 km at 9.4%), followed by Passo Lanciano (11.3 km at 8.5%), crested just over 40 kilometres from the finish, before tackling the final climb to Piana delle Mele. In particular, the last four kilometres become increasingly severe, making for an even more gruelling stage.
The Giro Next Gen will once again conclude with an individual time trial, something that has happened only twice this century, in 2002 and 2018. The closing test is a 22.2-kilometre race against the clock from Villa Sant’Angelo to L’Aquila. It will be far from a straightforward time trial, with the climb to Bagno Grande (2.4 km at 6.5%) midway through the course and a final kilometre into L’Aquila that rises steadily at 7.6%. Considering that many Under-23 riders are less accustomed to long tests against the clock, the stage offers ample scope for significant time gaps and could still prove decisive in the fight for the Maglia Rosa.
