Giro 2026: preview of the individual time trial to Massa, d-day for the GC riders
After the first mountain stage with a finish on the Blockhaus, we know the power balance uphill; on Tuesday, the battle will be against the clock. Between Viareggio and Massa, an almost perfectly flat time trial course of just over forty kilometers is laid out. Will Jonas Vingegaard deliver an uppercut to his rivals? WielerFlits looks ahead!
Route
The general classification in the Giro d’Italia will be completely turned upside down in the tenth stage. A long individual time trial along the Italian coast is on the program. By the Tyrrhenian Sea, the GC contenders will have to push for no less than 42 kilometers.
The start podium will be set up along the Viareggio boulevard. The first sixteen kilometers follow a slight detour to the south, after which the pace will have to be pushed high. After a technical opening section, a long coastal road leads to the finish town. At the start of this endless road lies the first intermediate time check (after 16.5 km).
The wind will play a major role along the coast, as there will be little shelter on the long straight stretch toward the finish in Massa. At the midpoint of this long stretch, the standings will be assessed for a second time (after 28.5 km). Only when the riders nearly reach the finish will they finally leave the coastline to head inland.
A right turn brings the only climb of the day into view. Well, climb might be too strong a word. We could better call the uphill stretch toward Rinchiostra, the location of the third time check (after 38 km), a little bump. Afterwards, the riders head back one by one toward the coastline. In the final kilometer is one last corner before the timer stops in Massa.
Classifications
Favorites
The cards have already been quite shuffled over the past days in the fight for overall victory, but on Tuesday the GC contenders must really face the music. Between Viareggio and Massa, they are entirely on their own, in what is, by modern standards, a relatively long individual time trial of just over 40 kilometers. Still, we expect a two-front battle since the stage win will likely come down mainly to the pure time trial specialists.
Looking at the course, it is a predominantly flat time trial that partly follows straight roads. This suits pure power riders who can push big gears at a high cadence. The first name that comes to mind is Filippo Ganna. The Italian powerhouse, twice world champion in the time trial, is the clear favorite for the stage win.
We have not seen much from Ganna in the first week, but that is not surprising. The transition stages were few, and he has partly worked for his teammates and GC hopefuls Thymen Arensman (we will get back to the Dutchman) and Egan Bernal. On Tuesday, he can fully focus on himself, and we do not see who could beat him in such a flat time trial.
The biggest competition probably comes from his own team, as Netcompany INEOS counts Magnus Sheffield, Ben Turner, and the aforementioned Thymen Arensman among its potential stage winners. Sheffield is arguably Ganna’s main challenger on paper, as the American consistently excels in these kinds of efforts against the clock. The only caveat is that Sheffield specializes more in somewhat shorter time trials.
Turner has delivered strong time trial performances in the past and is currently in good form. The Brit already claimed two top-five finishes in this Giro. Arensman thrives on slightly undulating courses, though he can handle this flat effort too very well. Who finished second this year in the flat opening time trial of Tirreno-Adriatico, behind Filippo Ganna? Exactly, Thymen Arensman!
UAE Emirates XRG seemed caught off guard after the withdrawals of Adam Yates, Jay Vine, and Marc Soler, but the team has rebounded impressively. The squad’s win tally in this Giro now stands at three, after stage victories by Jhonatan Narváez (2x) and Igor Arrieta.
Perhaps Mikkel Bjerg will add his name to this list. The Dane will have the tenth stage circled in red in his race book, as a time trial specialist these are the days when the usually loyal domestique Bjerg (just look at the Narváez stage win to Fermo) can also shine individually.
Another rider to keep an eye on is Alec Segaert. Another strong power rider who has already gathered credentials in time trials. Strikingly, the 23-year-old Belgian has not yet raced a time trial this season, so there is no reference data, but we still expect a sharp time and corresponding result from the Bahrain Victorious rider.
In the Giro d’Italia, more attention is always paid to the Italian riders, who may rise above themselves thanks to the support of their home crowd. Specifically, former Italian champion Matteo Sobrero (Lidl-Trek) and his compatriot Lorenzo Milesi (Movistar). Sobrero won an individual time trial in the Giro four years ago. Milesi is still seeking that major breakthrough victory but has made a very good impression in recent days.
Other riders who could surprise in the time trial include the French steamroller Rémi Cavagna (Groupama-FDJ United), Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), Ryan Mullen (NSN), Sjoerd Bax (Pinarello-Q36.5), Nico Denz, Tim van Dijke (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Will Barta (Tudor) and Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility). Bart Lemmen and especially Victor Campenaerts would normally harbor ambitions, but they will likely save their legs now to assist team leader Jonas Vingegaard later on.
Speaking of Vingegaard: what can we expect from the GC contenders in this time trial designed for the true specialists? It would surprise us if the Dane could threaten Ganna on such a course, but we won’t completely rule it out. Vingegaard has already shown against the clock enough to be a threat, although usually on more undulating parcours with some climbing meters. One drawback: he is not allowed to wear his preferred speed suit.
The leader of Visma | Lease a Bike can still do excellent business in his hunt for Giro victory, as he is on paper the strongest time trialist among the GC riders, apart from the previously mentioned Arensman. The Dutchman might actually emerge as the big winner of this time trial battle. Although, Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek) is also a powerful time trialist. The Canadian needs a good ride against the clock as he is already chasing time in the general classification.
For climbers like Giulio Pellizzari, Jai Hindley, Ben O'Connor, and Felix Gall, the goal is just one thing: limit the damage. Easy said but often difficult in practice. We especially fear for Gall’s fate. His climbing qualities are unquestionable, but the Austrian from Decathlon CMA CGM is certainly no time trial specialist, to put it mildly... We are still uncertain about Afonso Eulálio’s time trialing. Can the Portuguese rider once again exceed himself and hold on to the pink jersey?
Weather and TV
Tricky: that’s the forecast for next Tuesday, between Viareggio and Massa. There is a definite chance of rain showers, although it seems to clear up in the afternoon. Temperatures will rise to about twenty degrees Celsius. The weak to moderate wind will shift throughout the day from southeast to south-southeast.
