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Monday, June 1, 2026

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When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. - Marcus Aurelius

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Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Giro d'Italia, A Year-by-Year History of the Tour of Italy, Vol 2: 1971 - 2011 is available in print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing

• June 1 - 6: Ethias-Tour de Wallone

Upcoming racing:

• June 7: Brussels Cycling Classic
• June 7 - 14: Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
• June 10: Circuit Franco-Belge

Latest completed racing:

• May 8 - 31: Giro d'Italia
• May 28 - 31: Tour of Norway
• May 20 - 24: 4 Jours de Dunkerque
• May 23: Veenendaal - Veenendaal
• May 19: Classique Dunkerque
• May 17: Rund um Köln
• May 16: Tour du Finistère
• May 10: Tro-Bro Léon
• April 26 - May 3: Tour of Turkey
• April 28 - May 3: Tour de Romandie
• May 1: Eschborn-Frankfurt
• April 26: Giro dell'Appennino
• April 23 - 26: Vuelta Asturias
• April 26: Liège-Bastogne-Liège

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Giro d'Italia stage twenty-one team reports

We posted the report from stage twenty-one second-place Giovanni Lonardi's Team Polti-VisitMalta with the results.

Here's the Giro stage twenty-one report from GC winner Jonas Vingegaard's Team Visma | Lease a bike:

Jonas Vingegaard has made history with his overall victory in the Giro d’Italia. The 29-year-old Dane proved dominant over the past three weeks, claiming his fourth Grand Tour win after two Tour de France titles and one Vuelta a España victory. In doing so, he completes the trilogy of all three Grand Tours. Vingegaard is the eighth rider in the history of the sport to achieve this feat.

Jonas Vingegaard with the Giro d'Italia Trophy Senza Fine (Trophy Without End).

“It’s incredible to win the Giro d’Italia,” Vingegaard said proudly. “It’s something I’ve always dreamed of. To have it become reality is amazing. It’s such a special day. It was a fantastic day with a beautiful course and so much crowd support along the roads. Having my family here today brings tears to my eyes. They have always been there for me.”

During the traditional final stage in the historic city of Rome, the Dutch team once again presented itself to the Italian public in special jerseys. While Jonathan Milan took the stage win, our riders safely made it to the finish without any issues.

Vingegaard, who has been riding for our team for eight years, secured his fourth Grand Tour victory. He also delivered the team’s tenth Grand Tour overall win. An incredible achievement that makes the entire team extremely proud.

The Giro victory is not only a personal milestone for Vingegaard, but also a reward for the collective work of the whole team. With this overall win, the yellow-and-black formation adds another chapter to its successful history in the Grand Tours.

Team manager Richard Plugge spoke highly of his team’s performance. “It’s truly fantastic what we’ve achieved. We won Paris–Roubaix with Wout and now the Giro with Jonas. He will also be one of the contenders for the Tour again. But first we’ll let this victory sink in. I’m incredibly proud of this team.”

Here's the Giro report from GC third-place Jai Hindley's Team Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe:

The Giro d’Italia – few Grand Tours have played a bigger role in shaping the team’s history. With Hindley securing third place in Rome, another chapter has been added to that story.

In 2022, the Australian claimed the Trofeo Senza Fine and delivered the team’s first-ever Grand Tour victory. Two years later, Dani Martínez finished runner-up. Now Hindley is back on the podium once again. In the span of five years, the team has stood on every step of the Giro d’Italia podium.

The 2026 Giro d’Italia was a race defined by consistency. Already on the first major summit finish at Blockhaus, it became clear who would shape the general classification battle. From the opening mountain stages, Jai Hindley established himself as one of the strongest climbers in the race. A picture that continued to repeat itself throughout the following weeks. Whether in Pila, Cari or Piancavallo, the key mountain stages consistently produced the same outcome.

From the first mountain test to the last, Hindley remained one of the most consistent riders of this Giro d’Italia. Four years after his overall victory, he returns to the podium once again.

Jai Hindley finishes stage 19. Sirotti photo

More than a podium
This result becomes even more significant when viewed against the challenges of the past three weeks. A wave of illness repeatedly forced the team to adapt its plans. Giulio Pellizzari in particular suffered several setbacks. Yet the young Italian remained in the race and put the team’s objectives ahead of his own ambitions. His effort on the queen stage became one of those moments that rarely appear in the results sheet, but often help determine the outcome of a Grand Tour.

As a result, this Giro d’Italia ends with more than just another podium finish. The race once again highlighted the qualities that have defined the team for years: patience, resilience and the mindset to fight together for a common goal over three demanding weeks.

By finishing third in Rome, Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe also extends its Grand Tour streak. Over the last three seasons, the team has reached the overall podium of at least one Grand Tour every year – an achievement matched by only two other teams during that period.

Jai Hindley: "It’s incredibly difficult to achieve any kind of result in cycling these days. It’s been a while since I last stood on the podium at a Grand Tour, since I won the Giro. That’s why it’s something really special to have made it onto the podium here again, I'm proud. My relationship with the Giro is also special. It’s probably my favourite race."

Zak Dempster, Chief of Sports: "The whole team can be truly proud of what it has achieved, especially given the setbacks and challenges everyone had to face both on the ground and back home. The fact that Jai managed to weather the storm and draw on all his experience to simply fight his way through is something to be proud of. Admittedly, it was a Giro where we would have liked more in some respects, particularly when it comes to stage wins. At the same time, given the lads’ state of health, this is the lesson we’ve learnt: no matter how hopeless the situation seems, there’s always a way out if the team supports each other so strongly and keeps the ship afloat."

Here's the Giro stage twenty-one report from Best Young Rider Afonso Eulalio's Team Bahrain Victorious:

Team Bahrain Victorious closed an unforgettable Giro d’Italia in Rome with Afonso Eulálio securing the Maglia Bianca and finishing sixth overall, bringing three weeks of racing to an emotional end for the team.

The final stage, a 131km circuit in the Italian capital, brought the peloton through Rome for the traditional closing day of the Corsa Rosa. After the celebration of the final jerseys, the race ended with a sprint finish, won by Jonathan Milan [Lidl-Trek] ahead of Giovanni Lonardi [Team Polti VisitMalta] and Paul Penhöet [Groupama-FDJ].

For Bahrain Victorious, Rome marked the end of a Giro filled with some of the team’s biggest moments in recent Grand Tours. Eulálio wore the Maglia Rosa for nine days, led the young rider classification from Stage 5 all the way to the final podium in Rome, and ended the race as winner of the Maglia Bianca. In his second Giro d’Italia, the Portuguese rider also finished sixth overall after defending the white jersey through the final mountain stages.

Afonso Eulalio racing in stage eighteen. Sirotti photo

Eulálio said this after the stage:
“This Giro is something I will never forget. After such a hard final week, and especially after the stage yesterday, I was not feeling at my best and I was not always confident that it would be possible. But the whole team believed in me, even when I had doubts, and that gave me a lot of strength to keep fighting until the end.

"Damiano was very important for me. I told him that if he felt better than me, he could ride his own race, but he said he would stay with me whatever happened. That gave me a lot of confidence in a very difficult moment.

"To finish this Giro with the Maglia Bianca, after wearing the Maglia Rosa for so many days, and with both me and Damiano in the top ten overall, is something very special. We suffered a lot during these three weeks, but we arrived in Rome with something beautiful for the team.”

The team’s race had changed shape early in the Giro after losing Santiago Buitrago, who had started as Bahrain Victorious’ GC leader. From that moment, the team adapted around new opportunities and continued to race aggressively, with repeated most-combative prizes across the three weeks reflecting the way the riders stayed present in the race.

Franco Pellizotti added:
“It has been an amazing Giro for us. First of all, I want to say thank you to the riders and to all the staff for their commitment throughout this race. We started with different goals, but after Stage 2, when we lost Santiago, we had to change our objectives. In the end, we can be very happy and proud of the results we achieved and the way the riders kept fighting every day.

"It was a difficult Giro, but I think it was one of the best Grand Tours we have had in the ten years of Bahrain Victorious, not only because of the results, but also because of the emotions we experienced. Afonso did an amazing Giro, spending many days in the Maglia Rosa and then winning the Maglia Bianca.

"We also won a stage after three years without a Giro victory, and the team showed great spirit from start to finish.

"I also want to say something special about Damiano. He is a special guy, and this was his last Giro d’Italia as a rider. He did an amazing race, always close to Afonso, and without Damiano this result would not have been possible. I am very happy that he could finish his final Giro with such strong results, and we are all very proud of him.”

The team also celebrated four important stage results across the race: Afonso Eulálio’s second place in Potenza on the day he took the Maglia Rosa, Alec Segaert’s victory in Novi Ligure, Damiano Caruso’s third place in Andalo, and Edoardo Zambanini’s second place in Pieve di Soligo. Together with Eulálio’s run in pink and his final white jersey, those results made this Giro one of the most significant Grand Tours in the team’s recent history.

For Caruso, the finish in Rome carried a deeper meaning. In his final Giro d’Italia, the Italian reached the capital with a top-10 finish overall, still playing an important role in the race and bringing experience, calm and leadership to a team fighting for one of the biggest results of the three weeks. It was a final appearance at his home Grand Tour that reflected the qualities that have defined so much of his career.

After the stage, Damiano Caruso concluded:
“I could never have imagined a more beautiful ending to my story with the Giro d’Italia. These have been three weeks full of intense emotions, from the first day all the way to the final stage here in Rome, and to experience it in this setting was truly something magical.

"Receiving the most combative rider prize at the Giro d’Italia means a huge amount to me, even more so being awarded here in Rome, in such a special place, and being able to celebrate together with Afonso and his Maglia Bianca victory. If we also add Alec Segaert’s stage victory, I can say it has been a wonderful Giro for the whole team.

"Honestly, it is difficult to find the right words to explain what I feel in this moment. I only want to thank the fans, the team, all the staff, and especially my teammates, because each of them gave me the energy to reach this moment and experience all of this.”

After three demanding weeks, Bahrain Victorious leaves Rome with a Grand Tour that will be remembered not only for the results, but for the way they were achieved: through resilience, belief, and a collective effort that carried the team from the opening days to the final podium.

Here's the Giro report from GC fourth-place Thymen Arensman's Team Netcompany INEOS:

Thymen Arensman crossed the line safely to finish fourth at the Giro d’Italia, his best result to date in a Grand Tour, and was joined in the top-10 overall by teammate Egan Bernal.

The 2026 edition of the race wrapped up in the Italian capital of Rome, with Netcompany INEOS securing fourth and 10th overall in the first Grand Tour with the team’s brand new colours.

All eight riders were able to finish in a race which also saw Filippo Ganna add to his list of Grand Tour stage victories following the stage 10 time trial. Ganna also launched an audacious attack off the front with 18 kilometres to go on the final day, causing panic in the peloton before he was eventually reeled in with 3km remaining.

Filippo Ganna shaking up things in stage twenty-one. Sirotti photo

Both Arensman and Bernal were well supported throughout the three weeks, with the race starting back on the roads of Bulgaria. Playing out in largely warm temperatures, the race saw Arensman spend all but one day inside the top 10 overall, with seven days spent holding an overall podium position, before finally ceding third place on Friday’s 19th stage.

Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) was confirmed as the winner of the maglia rosa, with the Dane joined by Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) and Jai Hindley (Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe) on the final podium.

Embret Svestad-Bardseng impressed in his first Grand Tour for the team, adding strong climbing support alongside Jack Haig and Magnus Sheffield. Ben Turner picked up a pair of top-five finishes in the opening week of the race in bunch sprints, while Connor Swift played a key role as road captain across the three weeks, working hard across all terrains alongside Ganna.

Here's the Giro stage twenty-one report from points classification winner Paul Magnier's Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Paul Magnier dashed straight into the history books on Sunday, becoming at just 22 years and 47 days of age the second-youngest winner of the Giro d’Italia points classification in history and capping off a memorable edition for the entire Wolfpack nation.

One of the only four teams to have won multiple stages at this edition of the Corsa Rosa, Soudal Quick-Step enjoyed a truly remarkable three weeks: from Paul becoming the first maglia rosa in Bulgaria and spending 15 consecutive days in the ciclamino jersey to Jasper Stuyven and Gianmarco Garofoli animating numerous stages from the breakaway, our squad left an indelible mark over the 3500 kilometers of the season’s first Grand Tour.

Paul Magnier finishing the 2026 Giro d'Italia in the points classification leader's jersey. Sirotti photo

For the fourth consecutive year, Rome hosted the grand finale of the Giro d’Italia, and Paul Magnier rode into the Eternal City on a stunning Specialized purple bike celebrating his achievements over the past three weeks. It was the perfect way to bring to a conclusion one of the best Giro outings in the history of the team before Paul took to the podium to receive his 19th and final maglia ciclamino of this race.

“It’s been an amazing three weeks, something I’ll never forget. Last year I won a lot of races, but now I wanted to show that I can fight in races against some of the best sprinters in the world, and I’m delighted I could do that in just my second Grand Tour.”

“I want to thank the entire team for how strong they were and for the fantastic work they put in, not just during the Giro, but also before. It’s a big step up in my career and it gives me confidence that I can be up there in the most important races in the world”, said Paul after becoming the fifth different rider in the history of the team to win the Giro d’Italia points classification.

And here's the Giro report from Mountains Classification winner Giulio Ciccone's Team Lidl-Trek:

Three weeks after the Bulgarian Grande Partenza, the Giro d’Italia has reached its conclusion in the capital. From the charming cobbled streets of Nessebar to the iconic Colosseum of Rome, a collective effort from all eight Lidl-Trek riders delivered both a top-five GC finish with Derek Gee-West and the mountains jersey courtesy of Giulio Ciccone – the second time the Italian has claimed that classification.

Giulio Ciccone takes home the Maglia Azzurra. Sirotti photo

The three weeks were far from straightforward, as is the case with any Grand Tour. After three weeks chasing a stage win, Jonathan Milan was finally rewarded with a sweet victory as the sun set on the Giro in his capital city. In Bulgaria, Gee-West was caught in a crash on stage two and lost over a minute after a chaotic neutralisation and restart. The Canadian refused to let it define his race, dug deep with characteristic determination, and steadily climbed the GC standings. A superb time trial put him firmly on the path to success, and in the final week, Diesel Derek’s engine was firing on all cylinders – the finest week of Grand Tour racing of his career.

Giulio Ciccone arrived at the Giro with a stage win and the mountains jersey squarely in his sights. The excitable Italian may not have taken the stage victory he pursued so relentlessly, but he did something entirely unexpected along the way: wearing the Maglia Rosa for a day and fulfilling one of his greatest childhood dreams. Cicco accumulated over 500km in breakaways, pouring everything into the hunt for a stage win, and came agonisingly close on more than one occasion. What he did secure, with mathematical certainty on stage 20, was the Maglia Azzurra – a prize worth celebrating in such a demanding race.

In Jonny’s words:
“I’m super happy to end this Giro this way, I’m really proud with all we achieved in this Giro. I mean, at the end of the day you know we could say we could have done better on some stages but the important thing is that we always gave our best, we were always in the front fighting and trying to achieve the biggest goal with Derek and with Cicco getting amazing results and I was missing a victory and I’m super happy to make it today after the last two years when I was here, so now I’m just super happy to win in Rome.

"Sobrero was great covering some breaks and helping with positioning so when Ganna attacked, he followed and it was perfect having him up there so we didn’t have to pull behind, it was perfect. It was a really big team effort today. I’m really really happy to pay them back with this victory.

"It’s beautiful, after three weeks of looking for a win, to win on the last day in Rome means that we were keeping the head. We never gave up, always kept fighting for a victory we always believed we could get and always believing in each other so thanks to the team.”

In Derek’s words:
“The atmosphere has been good the whole time, so it’s been a really fun group of guys to race with. I’m just really, really, really happy with it. It is frustrating to take one GC spot back from last year, but honestly I think my level’s higher. I had such a hard race, and I think it’s really nice for the confidence moving forward, and hopefully to come back and try and crack that podium.

"I think it’s also motivational – to go fourth and fifth is super frustrating – so it’s something to aim for in the future, and I was really happy with my level at the end of the race. The last two Giros, the first week has just been about damage control and then, yeah, luckily it’s built in a way where the third week can make the biggest difference. That seems to be where my legs come good – I’d like them to come good at some point in week one, but better this than never.

"I don’t know if it’s always just going to be that I have to wait until the third week to have really good legs, or maybe it’s something we can work on, but just to get to that level at any point in the race, I’m super happy about that.

"We got super close to a couple of stages, so that was obviously frustrating to miss out on them, but Cicco secured the mountains classification.”

In Cicco’s words:
“In the end, I managed to win this jersey. It’s a shame for the stage that I missed, but the only thing I can say is that I have no regrets, because I really gave everything. I tried my best and I gave my best, so I can say that I’m satisfied. Obviously, I still have a bit of bitterness in my mouth, because the feeling of winning is indescribable – but the mountains jersey definitely compensates for that. For me, a climbing jersey has a lot of value, because you really have to sweat for it and nobody gives you anything. For me, it’s always an important jersey.

"On stage 20, we focused everything on this jersey, trying to bring it to Rome. It’s not a consolation prize – it was still a nice Giro for me and even though I missed a victory, I’m very satisfied. It was much more complicated to win this year than the first time; this time it was more difficult, but as we know, cycling has changed a lot in recent years and the level has risen.

"There’s a big emotion arriving in Rome with the jersey, especially for an Italian rider. I’m really proud to wear the Maglia Azzurra and of course I have to thank the team for the work they have done over these three weeks. We did a great GC with Derek and maybe we were unlucky on some occasions, but in the end we never gave up and we kept going until the end.”