Bulgaria Wins Bid to Host Opening Stages of Giro d’Italia 2026

Jerusalem, 6 August, 2025 (TPS-IL) -- Sofia (BTA) – Bulgaria will host one of the biggest sporting events in the world, the Giro d’Italia, a multi-stage professional cycling race, in 2026, announced Tourism Minister Miroslav Borshosh at a joint briefing with Sports Minister Ivan Peshev at the Council of Ministers.

Today, the government supported the proposal of the two ministries to finalize negotiations for hosting this prestigious sporting event, Barshos pointed out.

Bulgaria will host three of a total of 21 stages, including the ‘Grande Partenza’ – the so-called start of the Giro d’Italia.

In the negotiations for hosting, Bulgaria has fought off competition from several other countries. This is an event that changes the country that hosts the start, Borshosh said. The Giro d’Italia puts Bulgaria on the world tourism map with enormous benefits for Bulgaria’s image, he added.

The Giro d’Italia in Bulgaria in 2026 will involve participants passing through dozens of municipalities, which is exceptional for their development, Borshosh stressed. The competition will have three stages, which will start in one part of Bulgaria and end in the other. Borshosh added that the dates and routes will be announced later, as will the budget.

The Giro d’Italia is the second largest and most prestigious cycling race in the world after the Tour de France. The 2026 edition will be the 109th in history. In recent years, the Giro organizers have often started the race in other countries. In 2025, it started in Albania , in 2022 – in Hungary, in 2018 – in Israel. The race has also started in the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Monaco, Denmark and the United Kingdom.