Giro d'Italia goes Greener with the Ride Green 2026 Project

With the start of the RCS Sport cycling season in March and just weeks to go before the Giro d’Italia, Ride Green 2026 is taking shape. Launched twelve years ago, the major sustainability project has helped position the Corsa Rosa among the world’s leading stage races committed to reducing environmental impact.

Through a range of initiatives—many of which have evolved over the years—Ride Green has consistently aimed to limit the environmental footprint of sporting events on host territories. At its core is a stage-by-stage waste sorting system, implemented in collaboration with the E.R.I.C.A. cooperative, supported by volunteers and numerous local companies working alongside host municipalities.

Since its introduction, each edition has also recognized the most virtuous locations—those achieving the highest recycling rates. In 2025, a total of 70,648.50 kg of waste was collected, with 92% sent for recycling. Top-performing start locations were Ceglie Messapica (Puglia) with 95.683%, Morbegno (Lombardy) with 95.396%, and Potenza (Basilicata) with 94.693%. Among finish locations, Cesano Maderno (Lombardy) led with 95.904%, followed by Champoluc (Valle d’Aosta) with 94.182% and Siena (Tuscany) with 93.764%.

Ride Green also includes the Giro-E, the e-bike event that brings amateur cyclists onto Giro roads during race days, acting as a true ambassador of sustainable mobility.

A key new feature for 2026 is the initiative “A Green Trail—Three, in Fact! 3,000 New Trees to Plant Together,” developed in partnership with VAIA, the benefit company born in the aftermath of the 2018 storm that destroyed 42 million trees in the Dolomites and now works on mountain reforestation.

In April, 3,000 trees will be planted across three Giro d’Italia host areas in the Dolomites—Trentino, Veneto, and Friuli—with public participation. Planting events are scheduled for April 18 in Darzo (Valdonea), April 23 in Canazei (Penia), and April 24 in Claut (Lesis). These locations correspond to Stage 17 (Cassano d’Adda–Andalo), Stage 19 (Feltre–Alleghe), and Stage 20 (Gemona del Friuli–Piancavallo). Booking details are available at https://www.vaia.eu/giro-italia/.

This collaboration between RCS Sport and VAIA reflects a shared ambition to leave a positive legacy: three stages, three areas to regenerate together.

VAIA will also reward BiciScuola winners with the VAIA Cube, an object made entirely from recycled wood sourced from trees destroyed by the 2018 storm—a powerful symbol of environmental recovery and of the enhanced meaning Ride Green brings to sustainability efforts.

Meanwhile, BiciScuola—the educational project designed to introduce children to cycling and its values—has launched its 25th edition, starting from Strade Bianche.

Over the years, the initiative has reached record figures: 33,000 children awarded, 9,500 schools involved, 2 million students across 72,500 classes, and 28,500 creative projects submitted. Early figures for 2026 are equally significant, with 2,300 classes registered, 62,824 students, and 4,470 teachers involved.