Right from the start, the road rises for 3.5 kilometres at 4.2%, after which the route flattens out for dozens of kilometres. It isn’t until just under 130 kilometres that the climbing picks up, beginning with gentle gradients and gradually getting steeper, leading to the intermediate sprint on a 1.5-kilometre section at 5.5% in Pomarance.
After a negligible descent, the next climb is a stepwise affair: up, short descent, up, short descent. This brings the full ascent to Castelnuovo Val di Cecina to 9.7 kilometres at 3.3%, with the final 1.7 kilometres averaging 8.6%.
In Castelnuovo Val di Cecina, at 615 metres above sea level, the riders reach the highest point of the day, with roughly 60 kilometres remaining.
A 20-kilometre descent, including a plateau halfway, takes the riders to the Cecina valley. On the far side, the road immediately rises for 3.8 kilometres at 5.5%, and after a rolling section – including a 2.1-kilometre stretch at 5.6% – it continues on undulating terrain towards the finale.
First comes a 1.3-kilometre climb at 7.6%, which transitions into a 4-kilometre false flat, before the final ramp of 1.2 kilometres at 7.1%. After the flamme rouge, the steepest section begins, running over large cobbles through the narrow streets of San Gimignano’s medieval centre. Yes, that’s very reminiscent of the Strade Bianche finale!
Fancy riding the route yourself? Download GPX 2nd stage 2026 Tirreno-Adriatico.
Stage 2 of Tirreno–Adriatico gets under way at 10:50, and the race is expected to finish at around 15:45 – both local times (CET).
Tirreno-Adriatico 2026 stage 2: routes & profiles
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