Stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia 2026 features a Bulgarian finale tailored for sprinters. Thomas Silva, the first Uruguayan to win a Grand Tour stage, will wear the pink leader's jersey.
Key points
Stage 3 of Giro d'Italia 2026 is in Bulgaria.
Thomas Silva won Stage 2 and wears the pink jersey.
Heavy rain caused a significant crash in Stage 2.
Stage 2 featured an uphill sprint for victory.
Florian Stork and Giulio Ciccone were notable competitors in Stage 2.
Giro d'Italia 2026 Stage 3 Preview: Bulgarian Finale, One For The Sprinters
There was havoc in Stage 2 of the Giro dāItalia 2026, where heavy rain made for tough conditions and wet roads that eventually led to another massive crash, this time with almost 22 kilometers left to ride.
Many riders were clearly battered and shaken up, with at least one, Jay Vine, leaving in an ambulance.
Once the action resumed, the attention turned to the uphill sprint for the stage victory. Thomas Silva won the battle, outdistancing Florian Stork and Giulio Ciccone to become the first rider from Uruguay to win a stage in a Grand Tour. He also claimed the pink leader's jersey and will wear it during Stage 3 on Sunday.
It will be the final day of the event's inaugural visit to Bulgaria, before there's a break in the action to allow the riders and their teams to make their way to Italy.
Following a neutralization to get things situated after the crash Saturday, what was left of the peloton broke for the finish line in Veliko Tarnovo, ending the 221-kilometer day of climbing in the rain with a photo finish. Silva was led out by teammate Christian Scaroni, who finished fourth. There were four Italian riders among the top six places.
Q&A
What happened in Stage 2 of the Giro d'Italia 2026?
Stage 2 experienced heavy rain, leading to tough conditions and a significant crash with about 22 kilometers remaining.
Who won Stage 2 of the Giro d'Italia 2026?
Thomas Silva won Stage 2, making history as the first Uruguayan to win a stage in a Grand Tour.
What is the significance of the pink leader's jersey in the Giro d'Italia?
The pink leader's jersey is awarded to the rider with the lowest cumulative time, indicating their overall lead in the race.
What can we expect in Stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia 2026?
Stage 3 is expected to be a sprint-friendly stage with a Bulgarian finale, ideal for sprinters aiming for victory.
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Stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia 2026 will be a 175-kilometer ride from Plovdiv to Sofia. It will will feature some gradual climbing, but it should be another opportunity for the sprinters to own the spotlight. Many will be seeking redemption, as the first two days of the race were marred by crashes.
The crash in Friday's opening stage happened in the final kilometer., leaving only a dozen riders in contention for the victory.
Stage 3 is scheduled to begin at 6:15 a.m. Eastern and should conclude around 10:30 a.m. EDT.
For viewers in Canada, FloBikes coverage of Stage 3 will begin at 5:55 a.m. Eastern.
Hereās what to know about Stage 3 of the Giro dāItalia 2026, a 175-kilometer ride from Plovdiv to the Bulgarian capital of Sofia. The day should favor the sprinters and will mark the final stage before the race heads to Italy.
Stage 3: Giro dāItalia 2026
Here's one last opportunity for the Giro competitors to ride along the same roads that have been traveled for thousands of years and soak in all the history and landmarks that have been influenced and left behind by people from all over and across many centuries. Words like ancient, Renaissance, Neolithic, Byzantine and Acropolis paint an amazing picture without even having to see the area.
The day will begin in Plovdiv, and the first half of the day will be relatively flat, though there is a gradual climb to the Borovets Ski Resort. The second half of the 175-kilometer ride will be steady decline from the resort, all along wide roads, and into another flat finish that will favor the sprinters for the second time in three stages.
The last 8-10 kilometers into Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, will be relatively straight and will give the sprinters plenty of time and space to get situated before racing to the finish line.
The sights around the city center will offer a look into the seamless combination of history and modernization, where medieval meets all the things that allow Sofia to be the commercial, political, cultural, economic and transportation hub of the current era.
Perhaps the teams will have a chance to look around the city and enjoy their last night in Bulgaria. Monday will be a rest/travel day, and the Giro d'Italia 2026 will resume Tuesday in Italy with a 42-kilometer individual time trial.
Kilometers To Miles: How Long Is Stage 3 Of The Giro dāItalia 2026?
Stage 3 of the Giro dāItalia 2026 is 175 kilometers, or approximately 108.73 miles long.
Giro dāItalia 2026 Stage 3 Profile
Here is what the elevation looks like for Stage 3:
How To Watch The Giro dāItalia 2026 Stage 3
The Giro dāItalia 2026 is streaming on FloBikes and the FloSports app for viewers in Canada.
Highlights, race replays and breaking news will be available on both platforms.
In the United States, HBO Max is the official provider for the Giro dāItalia 2026.
Who Won Stage 3 Of The Giro dāItalia In 2025?
Denmarkās Mads Pedersen was dominant during the first week of the Giro d'Italia 2025, winning three of the first five stages (Stage 1, 3 and 5).
The Giro dāItalia 2026 starts May 8 and will conclude May 31.
The schedule includes 21 stages and three rest days (May 11, May 18, May 25).
Every day, the cyclists start together. Every stage varies in distance and physical demand, and the characteristics of each stage determine what type of rider should excel or how the race should finish.
For example, some stages feature flat finishes, and that means the sprinters likely will be battling for those stage wins.
At 32 years old, Great Britainās Simon Yates made history at the Giro dāItalia, not because of his age, but because he won the race without winning any of the 21 stages. It was the first time that happened since Alberto Contador did so a decade earlier.
It was the second Grand Tour victory for Yates, who won the Vuelta a EspaƱa in 2018, and it will be his last, as he announced his retirement seven months after winning the Giro.
Yates didnāt secure the coveted pink jersey until Stage 20, when he shot past Richard Carapaz and longtime leader Isaac Del Toro on the Colle delle Finistre climb, one of the most anticipated challenges on the cycling calendar. The same climb broke Yates in his attempt to win the Giro in 2018.
Del Toro, who had ridden in pink for 11 days, might have fallen short in his GC bid, but he became the first athlete from North America to win the Best Young Rider title.
Heading into Stage 20, Del Toro was 43 seconds ahead of Carapaz and 1 minute, 21 seconds in front of Yates. By the end of the day, Yates was nearly four minutes clear of Del Toro, with Carapaz another minute back.
In 2024, Tadej Pogacar won the Giro dāItalia in 2024 as part of a memorable season that saw him become the first rider since 1998 to win the Giro and the Tour de France in the same season.
He then added a win at the 2024 World Championships in Switzerland to became the first cyclist since 1987 to win the Giro, TDF and a world championship in the same season.
Giro d'Italia 2026 Stage 2 Turns Into Complete Chaos
Thomas Silva celebrated the stage win after Jonas Vingegaard attacked the final of 2026 Giro d'Italia Stage 2. The day was rocked by a crash, affecting Jay Vine, Adam Yates and Derek Gee. Gregor Brown reports from Bulgaria.
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