Teams demand higher fee for Bulgarian start of Giro d’Italia

Organizer RCS Sport and the participating teams are still far apart on the terms regarding the start of the 2026 Giro d’Italia. The Grande Partenza is scheduled in Bulgaria, which brings extra logistical costs for the teams due to a double transfer. While the first three stages are raced there, part of the equipment must already be sent ahead to Catanzaro, where the Italian part of the race begins.

According to Escape Collective, RCS Sport proposed a contribution of 115,000 euros, supplemented by a discount of 5,000 euros on flights via the Bulgarian coastal town of Burgas. However, the AIGCP, the professional teams' association, is aiming for compensation of 160,000 euros. RCS has since raised the offer to 125,000 euros, but an agreement still seems far off.

As a result, it is not excluded that the case will end up at the UCI, specifically with the Professional Cycling Council. Such disputes are rarely resolved quickly, while time is running out. The Giro starts on Friday, May 8, with a stage from Nessebar to Burgas. Stages two and three finish respectively in Veliko Tarnovo and the Bulgarian capital Sofia. After a rest day on Monday, the Giro continues on Tuesday in Italy with a stage through the southern region of Calabria.