The Giro d'Italia 2026 Grande Partenza will begin with its first three stages taking place in Bulgaria.

They make up the Giro's historic Grande Partenza, with opening stages from Nessebar to Burgas, Burgas to Veliko Tarnovo, and Plovdiv to Sofia before the race moves on to Italy.

Quick Picks

• Our pick: Milan to win
• Value bet: Magnier to win
• Long shot: Narváez as outright winner

Betting Preview

This is a very unusual start to the Giro because it begins outside Italy for the first time in Bulgaria, with a mix of flat sprint chances and one harder, more selective stage in the middle.

Stage 1 is the most straightforward day for the fast men, Stage 2 is the most testing and unpredictable, and Stage 3 offers another likely sprint opportunity if the climbs are handled cleanly. The opening weekend should therefore be shaped by sprinters' teams, strong all-rounders, and riders who can stay calm through wind, position battles, and late-race pressure.

• Stage 1: Friday, May 8, Nessebar to Burgas, about 147-156 km, flat.
• Stage 2: Saturday, May 9, Burgas to Veliko Tarnovo, about 220-221 km, hilly.
• Stage 3: Sunday, May 10, Plovdiv to Sofia, about 174-175 km, flat.

A rest day follows after the Bulgarian block, before the race resumes in Italy on May 12.

For GC riders, the key objective in Bulgaria is to stay safe, avoid time losses, and get through the sprint stages without trouble. Sprinters will likely aim for an early-stage win and possibly take the first maglia ciclamino.

Betting Markets to Watch

The riders most likely to offer value across the first three stages are sprinters for Stages 1 and 3, plus puncheurs and strong all-rounders for Stage 2.

Stage 1 from Nessebar to Burgas should suit pure speed, so the main names are Jonathan Milan, Dylan Groenewegen, Kaden Groves, Pascal Ackermann, Paul Magnier, and Tobias Lund Andresen.

Milan looks especially strong because he is the best flat-race rider on several pre-race lists and has the raw power to dominate a controlled sprint. Many of these will also be among the favourites to win Stage 3, should they survive the climbs in Stage 2.

For Stage 2, Giulio Ciccone, Jhonatan Narváez, Santiago Buitrago, Egan Bernal, Andrea Vendrame, and Alberto Bettiol. These are the riders who can handle repeated climbs, stay well-positioned, and still have a sharp kick at the end.

Our Prediction

You can check out our latest cycling outright markets for this race.

Our best prediction is for Jonathan Milan to win Stage 1, as he is considered the best flat-race rider in the field, and we think it's likely he will make a strong start.

Our value pick is Paul Magnier because he is quick enough to win sprints and is often undervalued in these races. Our long shot is Jhonatan Narváez; he is not the most likely winner on paper, but his ability to handle climbs, respond to accelerations, and finish fast from a reduced group gives him a real path to an upset.