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The riders are about to start the two circuits south of Burgas. Each loop of 22.1km features the category 4 Cape Agalina to award the first mountains jersey.
Who can beat Jonathan Milan? Dani Ostanek analysed the sprinters of the Giro d’Italia for Cyclingnews.
It’s great to see so many people out along the roadside. This is what bike racing and especially Grand Tours are all about.
Three riders are leading the peloton in pursuit of the attackers. They are: Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Lidl-Trek), Hartthijs de Vries (Unibet Rose Rockets) and Ayco Bastiaens (Soudal Quick-Step).
The racing is steady but the current speed is 44.2 Km/h.
There are some clouds gathering on the open plains south of Burgas. There is a slight chance of rain later in the day.
This was James Shaw’s fumble.
Triple bottle miss! 😬James Shaw misses three bottles in quick succession on the opening stage of the Giro d’Italia! pic.twitter.com/5Groz5FkqCMay 8, 2026
The riders roll through a feed zone but James Shaw of EF fails to catch a bidon three times.
100km to go
The Red Bull KM sprint comes after 114.7, just 32km from the finish, so it will be interesting to see if any GC riders or sprinters fight for the six, four and two bonus seconds.
The riders are racing in the opposite direction to when they sprint to the line.
Manuele Tarozzi (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber) and Diego Pablo Sevilla (Polti VisitMalta) lead by 1:45.
As the riders move away from the coast and pass through Burgas for the first time, they get to see the finish area.
It’s interesting to see that the Netcompany Ineos riders are wearing black shorts with their new green-grey jerseys.
The riders roll through rapeseed fields
Look at the crowds!
Our photographers have already captured some great shots.
This stage is a lot like Milan-San Remo. There is a slow build-up but then we are expecting a crescendo finish.
We can see some beautiful flamingoes feeding in the Black Sea. However Manuele Tarozzi (Bardiani CSF 7 Saber) and Diego Pablo Sevilla (Polti VisitMalta) push on, trying to extend their gap over 2:00.
The stage profile shows the ride isa not totally flat but the road to Burgas just rolls softly as its follows the coastline.
Riders from Soudal, Uno-X and Unibet are on the front but doing ‘soft’ turns to keep the pace steady.
As the riders roll past huge rapeseed fields, the sprinters’ team are playing bluff with each other and nobody is keen to lead the chase.
The peloton and the sprinters are keen to save energy early in the stage to be as fresh for the fast final hour and the sprint to the line.
Egan Bernal of Netcompany Ineos is at his team car, perhaps with a mechanical problem.
The peloton has let the attackers go clear. The gap is up to 1:30.
Race director Stefano Allocchio blows his whistle and waves his flag from the race car.
🏳️ THE 2026 #GIRODITALIA IS UNDERWAY!!! pic.twitter.com/t25wOUq2twMay 8, 2026
The Unibet riders seem ready to dive into any early attacks.
We can see Lidl-Trek leader Derek Gee-West up front near the race director’s car.
1km until the stage starts!
The local Bulgarian crowds are out along the roadsides. That’s great to see.
The riders can enjoy a 4.7km neutralised ride out of the seafront of Nessebar. Then the flag will drop and we are expecting attacks.
There are four jersey competitions and lots of other special classifications and prizes. We have all the details.
Race favourite Jonas Vingegaard was one of the last to sign on.
Here we go! The riders are about to roll out!
The riders are happy to finally race after four days in Bulgaria but there is tension in the air due to the expected sprint finish.
Team Giro d’Italia 💓 pic.twitter.com/mZ4GnC4Ki0May 8, 2026
The start of stage 1 in Nessebar is on the edge of the Black Sea. The sun is out!
Bulgaria is turning pink! The #Giroditalia starts here, and the riders will race along the roads of a land rich in history and beauty. Cycling brings people together and is spreading around the world thanks to its ambassadors on two wheels, who bring excitement wherever they… pic.twitter.com/sbYxxtkblKMay 8, 2026
The Giro d’Italia social media team are the best in the business. It’s great to be back at the Giro.
🏆 We’re so unbelievably back #GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/qyzCSfFDaWMay 8, 2026
Half of the teams have signed on so far, with EF Education showing off their new green swap-out kit.
Simon Yates snatched overall victory on the final mountain stage in 2025. He made a surprise decision to retire during the winter but his twin brother Adam is leading the UAE team this year and could win in Rome.
Cyclingnews will have full live coverage of every stage of the Giro. The race is also broadcast and streamed around the globe.
How to watch Giro d’Italia 2026 – Free live streams, TV channels, Schedule
At the start in Nessebar, the first teams are starting to sign-on. The sun is out and the weather is dry with expected temperatures of 18-20C.
This is our detailed stage 1 preview, with information on today’s stage.
The Giro d’Italia starts outside of Italy for the 16th time and a second consecutive year, with Bulgaria hosting a three-stage Grande Partenza on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
We’ve published previews, interviews, analysis and special features on the 2026 Giro in recent week and James Moultrie and Alasdair Fotheringham are on the ground in Bulgaria to speak to riders and teams and bring you all the best reporting on the 2026 Giro d’Italia.
The Giro d’Italia and the Grand Tour season begins with the Grande Partenza in Bulgaria.
Stage 1 is along the Black Sea coast, from Nessebar, a Unesco World Heritage Site and ends further south in Burgas after 147km of flat and likely fast racing.
The tension is high as a high-speed sprint finish seems assured with the stage winner also awarded the first race leader’s Maglia Rosa.
Buongiorno and welcome to the Cyclingnews full live coverage of stage 1 of the 2026 Giro d’Italia.