Giro 2026 Favourites stage 20: Last chance for climbers

fotobureau Cor VosThere is a strong chance the Giro will be decided after the brutally hard 19th stage. But if not, there will still be plenty of opportunity to really ignite the race on the final mountain stage. In a race featuring 3,750 metres of climbing, the finish lies atop a 14.5-kilometre climb averaging 7.8%. (Slideshow route/profile)

First published on 6 May 2026

The route is straightforward. On flat to gently rolling roads, the riders head towards a decisive finishing circuit via two mid-stage climbs (1.3 kilometres at 8.5% and 6.9 kilometres at 5.7%). They complete the circuit one and a half times, passing through Piancavallo twice — first as an intermediate passage and the second time for the finish.

The 14.5-kilometre climb to Piancavallo averages 7.8%, with the first half being the most demanding. After a false-flat section with 3.5 kilometres to go, the road rises at 6.3% over the final 3 kilometres. So riders looking to put their rivals under serious pressure should opt to make their move relatively early on the climb.

If the general classification is already settled, there is a good chance the final mountain stage will see a clash between strong climbing stage hunters and riders whose pink-jersey ambitions have faded as the Giro has unfolded.

How the race unfolds will depend on the standings, so we will continue to expand this article during the Giro, but at this stage we would say the riders below are the main contenders for the stage win.

Favourites 20th stage 2026 Giro d'Italia

*** Giulio Ciccone, Jay Vine, Santiago Buitrago, Egan Bernal
** Jonas Vingegaard, Thymen Arensman, Adam Yates, Enric Mas
* Damiano Caruso, Derek Gee-West, Michael Storer, Wout Poels

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Another interesting read: route 20th stage 2026 Giro d'Italia.