Giro 2026 Favourites stage 16: Explosive climbing face-off

fotobureau Cor VosThere’s no time to ease into things in the first stage of the Giro's final week. Instead, the riders are immediately faced with 3,000 metres of climbing over just 113 kilometres. Compact and intense. Which riders will cope best with that? (Slideshow route/profile)

First published on 6 May 2026 - last updated 26 May: weather forecast for finale updated

The opening is relatively calm, as the riders spend the first 20 kilometres in the Ticino valley. After that, the road gradually rises on a false flat towards a 4.7-kilometre climb at 5.6%, and after a false-flat descent the riders are faced with a 3-kilometre ramp at 8.5%.

Both climbs are part of a circuit, which the riders complete once more. They then descend for roughly 17 kilometres before gradually heading uphill again. The gradient steadily increases, and 800 metres after the bonus sprint in Faido the final climb begins. This ascent covers 11.7 kilometres at an average gradient of 7.9%.

The route invites speculation. In the flat opening phase, there will no doubt be a flurry of attacks, but will a breakaway find space or even be allowed to form on such a short stage? It could well be that so many riders are eager to get away that, in the end, nobody is given any room. The result would be the general classification contenders battling it out on the final climb.

On the otherhand, we are already deep into the Giro, and since Jonas Vingegaard and his men have the race in an iron grip. So a scenario in whichy dictate proceedings and allow the breakaway enough leeway to battle it out for the win is also far from impossible.

Weather forefast finale:
There is a chance of a shower on the final climb, although it could just as easily stay dry. Forecasts have improved considerably over the past few days. For the latest weather conditions along the route, you can use the interactive weather map in the slideshow below this article.

Favourites 16th stage 2026 Giro d'Italia

*** Wout Poels, Giulio Ciccone, Enric Mas, Einer Rubio
** Jonas Vingegaard, Thymen Arensman, Felix Gall, Jai Hindley
* Derek Gee-West, Aleksandr Vlasov, Giulio Pellizzari, Sepp Kuss

Another interesting read: route 16th stage 2026 Giro d'Italia.