Giro 2026 Route stage 8: Chieti - Fermo

Saturday, 16 May – Stage 8 of the Giro takes the riders from Chieti to Fermo. The 156-kilometre route follows the Adriatic coast until the last 60 kilometres seem set to ignite the fireworks with a series of short climbs, capped by a punchy finale on the narrow cobbled streets of Fermo’s old town.

Last updated 11 May 2026: weather forecast added

Suited for: puncheurs, attackers
Key points: six short climbs inside the final 60 kilometres

Chieti is one of the oldest cities in Italy, which is no small feat in a country so steeped in history. The first traces of urban settlement date back some 7,000 years. In Roman times the city was known as Teate, named after Thetis, mother of Achilles, who according to legend founded the city.

It will be the fifteenth time that Chieti hosts a Giro stage start, the most recent being in 2009. The race went to the Blockhaus, where Franco Pellizotti soloed to victory. This time we'll see a scenario unfold in which punchers and attackers are expected to shine.

From Chieti the peloton quickly reaches the Adriatic Sea and they follow the coast all the way north to Cupra Marittima, where they turn inland. Soon after, they find themselves on the slopes of the hill topped by Montefiore dell’Aso. Following the descent, the road kicks up again immediately towards Monterubbiano, a 4.7-kilometre climb at 5.7%.

Following the downhill, the road climbs 3.3 kilometres at 4.9% to Fermo, and shortly afterwards an uncompromising wall adds 700 metres at 11.6% to the mix. The sprint for bonus seconds is situated at the top.

So the peloton has already reached Fermo, but 25.3 kilometres still remain. A steady descent leads to Lido di Fermo on the coast, after which the road climbs 2.5 kilometres at 6.3% to Capodarco, where the likes of Jai Hindley, Einer Rubio and Filippo Zana won the GP Capodarco in their early twenties - in 2016, 2018 and 2019 respectively.

The riders pass through Capodarco with only 6.9 kilometres to go, almost half of which downhill. The riders descend onto the 3.7-kilometre finale with an average gradient 5.7%, but that figure tells only part of the story. It starts with 700 metres at 14.3% (!), then eases off before the final kilometre kicks up into double digits again. What’s more, the finale takes place on the narrow cobbled streets of Fermo’s historic old town.

It's been a while since the Giro last finished in this hilltop town above the coast. In 1972 Gianni Motta claimed victory here, while the 2022 Tirreno–Adriatico featured a finish in Fermo after the exact same finale as this year. Back then, Warren Barguil triumphed from the breakaway, with Xandro Meurisse and Simone Velasco settling for second and third.

Fancy riding the route yourself? Download GPX 8th stage 2026 Giro d'Italia.

Time bonuses of 6, 4 and 2 seconds are up for grabs at the intermediate sprint at kilometre 131.7; at the finish line, 10, 6 and 4 await the first three riders.

Stage 8 of the Giro d’Italia starts at 13:15 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: 17°C, partly cloudy with a chance of both sunshine and showers, northerly wind (force 3)
Finish: 17°C, partly cloudy with a chance of both sunshine and showers, northerly 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 Fermo.