Giro d’Italia 2026, Stage 18: route, favourites and where to watch on TV

There’s one final “quiet” stage before the seismic finale of mountains and elevation gain. From Fai della Paganella to Pieve di Soligo, in the heart of the Prosecco Hills, the riders face a relatively straightforward 171 km stage — though the Muro di Ca’ del Poggio, positioned just 10 km from the finish, could turn a day seemingly suited to the sprinters into the perfect stage for attackers and breakaway specialists. That leaves us with the big question of the day: sprint finish or not?

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The Route

After the start, the route links the Adige Valley with the Brenta Valley via the climb to Civezzano (4.9 km at 6.2%), before continuing on rolling terrain that trends mostly downhill towards Primolano. The riders then tackle the short Scale di Primolano climb (Category 3, 3.2 km at 3.9%) to enter the Piave Valley and, after passing through Valdobbiadene, reach the heart of the Prosecco Hills. Here come the short but punchy ascents of Combai (1.9 km at 6.2%), Tarzo, and above all the famous Muro di Ca’ del Poggio (1.1 km at 12.3%), whose summit comes around 10 km from the finish

The Favourites

Another day, another breakaway? Quite possibly — though making the right move will once again be complicated, with half the peloton likely eager to get involved. Compared to the stage to Andalo, there may be more room for powerful rouleurs capable of surviving the climbs, such as Filippo Ganna (Netcompany INEOS), Alberto Bettiol (XDS Astana) and Alec Segaert (Bahrain Victorious). Riders like Orluis Aular (Movistar), Corbin Strong (NSN) and Guillermo Thomas Silva (XDS Astana) could also try to make the break and then rely on their sprint finish, while the ever-dangerous Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates–XRG) will be hunting valuable points in the battle for the Maglia Ciclamino.

Predict the winner with our ‘stage winner Predictor’. CLICK HERE, head to the FanZone and earn one entry into the draw for the final prizes of the Join the FanZone Challenge with every vote you cast. (Voting is open from 8:00 PM on the day before the stage until 10:00 AM on race day.)

Giro d’Italia 2026, Stage 18: Schedule and TV Coverage

Fai della Paganella – Pieve di Soligo, 171 km
Start: 1:15 PM
KM 0: 1:30 PM
LIVE coverage begins: 11:45 AM
Expected finish: around 5:05 PM

TV: As usual, RAI will provide free-to-air coverage of every stage for Italian viewers. The day’s TV schedule begins with an hour of Giro Mattina on Rai Sport HD, featuring rider presentations and pre-race interviews, followed on the same channel by Prima Diretta, covering the start of the stage through to 2:00 PM. For the key part of the day’s action, coverage moves to Rai 2 with Giro in Diretta until 4:15 PM, immediately followed by Giro all’Arrivo, bringing viewers through the decisive moments of the stage all the way to the finish line. Straight afterwards comes the traditional post-stage analysis show, Il Processo alla Tappa, usually lasting around 45 minutes without the need to change channel. Rai Sport HD rounds off the coverage with TGiro from 8:00 PM, featuring interviews, highlights and analysis, and Ri-Giro at midnight, where the most dedicated fans can relive the day’s key moments step by step. In addition, the race will be broadcast live in full on Eurosport and via the on-demand platforms Discovery+ and HBO Max.

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