Giro d’Italia 2026, Stage 13: route, favourites and where to watch it on TV

The 2026 Giro d’Italia stays in Piedmont, doing so with a stage that finishes close to Filippo Ganna’s home roads. From Alessandria to Verbania over 189 kilometres, much of the route looks fairly straightforward, but the race is set to burst into life over the final 25 km, thanks to the short yet tricky climbs of Bieno and Ungiasca. The last time the Giro finished in Verbania, a certain Philippe Gilbert took the win… perhaps a good omen for another spectacular finale!

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The Route

A flat stage for 160 kilometres that suddenly comes to life in the final 30 km, where virtually all of the day’s elevation is packed in. The route crosses the Po Valley from south to north, starting in Alessandria before reaching Lake Maggiore. After following the lake’s western shoreline, the race heads into a sequence of short climbs that shape the run-in to the finish.

First comes Bieno (Category 4, 2.4 km at 5.5%), with relatively manageable gradients, followed by Ungiasca (Category 3, 4.7 km at 7.1%) — a timed climb featuring several kilometres above 10%. The summit comes 13 km from the finish, followed by a descent into Verbania and the run to the line.

The Favourites

This is another stage that is difficult to read. A breakaway could make it all the way, or the peloton may decide to battle it out on the final climbs, especially since the 160 km of flat roads beforehand could make controlling the race relatively manageable. Filippo Ganna (Netcompany INEOS), one way or another, will try to make his mark in front of his home fans — but there are plenty of riders with reason to dream.

There is the ever-dangerous Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), already a three-time stage winner, while Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) and Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana) are still chasing their first success of this Giro. Keep an eye, too, on Toon Aerts (Lotto Intermarché), Ben Turner (Netcompany INEOS), Guillermo Thomas Silva (XDS Astana), Florian Stork (Tudor), and perhaps even some of the GC contenders, tempted into attacking by the climb to Ungiasca.

Predict the winner with our ‘stage winner Predictor’. CLICK HERE, head to the FanZone and earn one entry into the final prize draw of the Join the FanZone Challenge for every vote you cast. (Voting is open from 20:00 the day before the stage until 10:00 on race day)

Giro d’Italia 2026, Stage 13: Schedule and TV Coverage

Alessandria – Verbania, 189 km
LIVE coverage begins: 11:10 a.m.
Start: 12:40 p.m.
KM 0: 12:55 p.m.
Expected finish: around 5:00 p.m.

TV: As usual, RAI will provide free-to-air coverage of every stage of the Giro d’Italia for viewers in Italy. The day begins with “Giro Mattina” on Rai Sport HD, featuring rider presentations and pre-race interviews, followed by “Prima Diretta” on the same channel to cover the start of the stage until 14:00. For the key moments of the race, coverage moves to Rai 2, with “Giro in Diretta” until 16:15, followed immediately by “Giro all’Arrivo”, taking viewers through the decisive phases of the stage right to the finish line. Straight after comes the traditional post-stage analysis show, “Il Processo alla Tappa”, usually lasting around 45 minutes without the need to switch channels. The day concludes on Rai Sport HD with “TGiro” at 20:00, featuring interviews, highlights and commentary, while the most dedicated fans can relive every key moment with “Ri-Giro” at 00:00. The race will also be broadcast live in full on Eurosport, as well as on streaming platforms Discovery+ and HBO Max.

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