Giro 2026 Route stage 6: Paestum - Napels

Thursday 14 May – Stage 6 of the Giro d'Italia travels from Paestum to Naples. The route is 142 kilometres long en features 500 metres of elevation gain, so you might think it’s a straightforward sprint stage. But no. The final kilometre serves up a rising cobbled section and a U-turn with 400 metres to go.

Last updated 11 May 2026: weather forecast added

Suited for: (punchy) sprinters
Interesting: cobbled climb in the final kilometre

Paestum isn’t just an ancient-sounding name – it truly is. The area around the starting venue is an archaeologist’s treasure trove, with finds dating back long before Christ. The temples of Poseidon and Athena stand as imposing reminders of those long-lost times.

The route of the 6th stage is fairly straightforward. In the first half, the riders follow the Tyrrhenian coast before looping around the northern slopes of Vesuvius to enter Naples from the east via several suburbs.

The finale, however, is far from straightfoward. After a flat run-in along the Mediterranean, the riders hit the cobbles along the harbour in the final 700 metres. This section rises at 4%, and positioning will be crucial, as there is a U-turn with 400 metres to go. The finish line is drawn on the cobbled Piazza del Plebiscito.

The stage marks the fifth consecutive year that the Giro finishes in Naples, though each finale has been different. In 2022, Thomas De Gendt took victory from the breakaway, while the following three editions ended in sprints. Those finishes brought wins for Mads Pedersen, Olav Kooij and Kaden Groves, respectively in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Fancy riding the route yourself? Download GPX 6th stage 2026 Giro d'Italia.

Time bonuses of 6, 4 and 2 seconds are up for grabs at the intermediate sprint at kilometre 118.3; at the finish line, 10, 6 and 4 await the first three riders.

Stage 6 of the Giro d’Italia starts at 13:50 and is expected to finish at around 17:15 - both local times (CEST). For details, see the timings in the slideshow below this article.

Weather forecast:
Start: 20°C, partly cloudy with a chance of both sunshine and showers, south-westerly wind (force 4)
Finish: 19°C, partly cloudy with a chance of both sunshine and showers, westerly wind (force 3)

We update the weather forecast on the morning of the stage. For the current weather conditions along the route, you can use the interactive weather map in the slideshow.

Another interesting read: favourites to win in Naples.