Giro 2026 Favourites stage 11: Breakaway hopefuls in hilly finale

fotobureau Cor VosStage 11 of the Giro is an interesting one. The riders tackle 2,850 metres of climbing, almost all of which comes in the final 100 kilometres. (Slideshow route/profile)

First published on 5 May 2026

Apart from a false flat section after 30 kilometres and a 2.5-kilometre climb at 5.5% after 80 kilometres, the route is as flat as it gets for the first two hours. After La Spezia, the pink caravan enters the hilly coastal stretch of the Cinque Terre, and the race completely changes character.

A couple of short climbs precede the Passo del Termine (7.4 kilometres at 4.9%), followed immediately by the Colle di Guaitarola (9.7 kilometres at 6.3%). After a long descent, the riders return to the coast in Sestri Levante. There are still 37 kilometres to go at the point, featuring two more climbs.

The Colla dei Scioli rises for 5.7 kilometres at 6.4%, with the final kilometre averaging 9.6%, before a 10-kilometre descent leads to the foot of the last climb. The road the climbs for 4.6 kilometres at an average of 6.7% to Cogorno, after which there are 12.6 kilometres to the finish. The first half is downhill, the second flat.

All in all, a parcours where GC riders are unlikely to be able to make much of a difference, so it is likely that the breakaway of the day — as so often in this Giro — will fight it out for the stage win.

Favourites 11th stage 2026 Giro d'Italia

*** Giulio Ciccone, Magnus Sheffield, Jan Christen, Christian Scaroni
** Michael Valgren, Mick van Dijke, Filippo Zana, Jhonatan Narváez, Andrea Vendrame
* Koen Bouwman, Jardi Christiaan van der Lee, Bart Lemmen, Gijs Leemreize, Johannes Staune-Mittet

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Another interesting read: route 11th stage 2026 Giro d'Italia.