Giro d’Italia is Live

With the Spring Classics behind us, it is time for the first Grand Tour of the Season: the Giro d’Italia. Known as the “Most Beautiful Grand Tour” for its spectacular scenery that ranges from sparkling Adriatic beaches, through the rolling olive orchards of Tuscany, and into the craggy alpine spires of the Dolomites, this will be the 108th edition of the three-week stage race.

Giro Sport Design will be at the front of the bunch with Visma | Lease a Bike as a top contender among 23 teams battling their way around the Mediterranean peninsula, chasing stage wins, the Points and King of the Mountains jerseys, and, of course, the overall Grand Classification victory.

Ride along. Follow the race. Explore the gear.

The Race

Sprint and Breakaway Stages

Flat-to-rolling stages typically have two outcomes: either the group stays together and the teams lead out their fast men in a field sprint, or a small group breaks away and battles for the victory amongst themselves. Visma has top contenders for both scenarios and both will rely on the Eclipse Spherical as their helmet of choice for optimised aerodynamics that is still comfortable when racing 4 to 6 hours. Olav Koiij arrives as one of the favourite sprinters, with wins at the Tour of Oman and Tirreno-Adriatico already this season plus a Giro victory in 2024. For the breakaways, superstar Wout Van Aert will contest the Giro for the first time, but his Grand Tour stage credentials are undisputed, with three wins at the 2024 Vuelta a España and seven at past Tours de France.

Explore Eclipse Spherical
Giro Sprint Stage
Giro Time Trials

Time Trial Stages

This year’s Giro features over 40km of critical time trials which will undoubtedly help decide the overall race. Visma takes the start ramp in the groundbreaking Aerohead II helmet, having played a key role in the development of this radical aerodynamic tool in the “race of truth.” Once again, Wout Van Aert is a potential favourite for the win, either in the shorter 13km Stage 2 time trial, or the longer Lucca - Pisa route on Stage 10. The Belgian has 9 individual time trial wins to his name, including two at the Tour de France - so he’s proven capable of beating the clock even during a Grand Tour.

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Mountain Stages

While sprints and time trials provide their own excitement, for many fans, the Giro d’Italia is all about the mountains. From a steep cobblestone summit finish on Stage 7 Tagliacozzo, located in the heart of the Abruzzo region, to a trio of stages which include the legendary Montegrappa, Mortirolo, and Bormio climbs, to a final week in the Alps with over 9,000 metres of climbing in two days, this edition of the Giro is definitely one for the climbers. Visma alpine aces Simon Yates, Steven Kruijswijk, and Wilco Kelderman, along with the rest of the team, will certainly rely on the Aries Spherical for mountain stages, when its amazing low weight and ventilation optimised for the relatively low speeds found on long climbs may give them the winning edge they need.

Explore Aries Spherical
Giro Time Trials

Team Visma | Lease a Bike
for 2026 Giro d'Italia

Jonas Vingegaard
Nationality: Denmark
Key Results: 2x Tour de France winner, 2025 Vuelta a Espana winner, Paris-Nice 2026, Volta a Catalunya 2026
Target Stages: Stage 7 Formia - Blockhaus, Stage 10 Viareggio - Massa ITT, Stage 14 Aosta - Pila, Stage 19 Feltre - Alleghe


Sepp Kuss
Nationality: United States
Key Results: 2023 Vuelta a Espana winner, multiple Grand Tour mountain stage wins
Target Stages: Mountain support for Vingegaard across all major climbing stages


Wilco Kelderman
Nationality: The Netherlands
Key Results: 3rd GC Giro d'Italia 2020, 4th GC Vuelta a Espana
Target Stages: Mountain support, Stage 16 Bellinzona - Cari, Stage 20 Gemona del Friuli - Piancavallo


Victor Campenaerts
Nationality: Belgium
Key Results: Hour Record holder (2019), multiple breakaway stage wins
Target Stages: Breakaway opportunities on transitional and rolling stages


Davide Piganzoli
Nationality: Italy
Key Results: One of Italy's most promising young stage race talents
Target Stages: Mountain support for Vingegaard, gaining Grand Tour experience on home roads


Sprint and Breakaway Stages

Flat-to-rolling stages typically have two outcomes: either the group stays together and the teams lead out their fast men in a field sprint, or a small group breaks away and battles for the victory amongst themselves. Visma has top contenders for both scenarios and both will rely on the Eclipse Spherical as their helmet of choice for optimised aerodynamics that is still comfortable when racing 4 to 6 hours. Olav Koiij arrives as one of the favourite sprinters, with wins at the Tour of Oman and Tirreno-Adriatico already this season plus a Giro victory in 2024. For the breakaways, superstar Wout Van Aert will contest the Giro for the first time, but his Grand Tour stage credentials are undisputed, with three wins at the 2024 Vuelta a España and seven at past Tours de France.

Explore Eclipse Spherical
Giro Sprint Stage

FAQ

Which Giro Sport Design helmets do Visma riders wear?
The pros on Visma will wear 3 key helmets. The Eclipse Pro is their choice for balanced aerodynamics and ventilation on flat and rolling stages, where a sprint or breakaway is likely. The Aerohead Mips II, developed in direct cooperation with the team, is used for time trials, where its radically optimised aerodynamic shape provides the best advantage for solo riders on specialised equipment. The Aries Spherical is Team Visma's choice for mountain stages, where ultra-low weight and excellent ventilation are the key advantages.


Which Giro Sport Design shoes are used at the race?
Jay Vine and Thymen Arensman race in Giro footwear throughout the Giro d'Italia. Their primary shoes are the Imperial II and Empire SLX II for standard conditions. When the weather turns, they switch to the Imperial AS, which offers all-season protection for wet and cold stages.


What is the Giro d’Italia?
The Giro d'Italia is one of the three Grand Tours of cycling, alongside the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana. Held in the spring, it is traditionally the first Grand Tour of the season. This year's 109th edition starts in Bulgaria for the first time before heading to Italy.


How long is the race?
The race is 3 weeks long, with 21 stages and 3 rest days. Riders will cover 3,468km (2,155 miles) with 48,764m (160,000 feet) of climbing.


What stages can Visma | Lease a Bike riders target?
Visma takes the start line with Jonas Vingegaard as their clear leader for the overall classification. He is the pre-race favourite and could become just the eighth rider to win all three Grand Tours. The team also has Victor Campenaerts for breakaway opportunities, and mountain domestiques Sepp Kuss, Wilco Kelderman, and Davide Piganzoli to support Vingegaard in the high mountains.