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Unibet line-up at the rear of the peloton before the roll out. Dylan Groenewegen is not expected to survive the climb but Lukáš Kubiš could and is a proven fast finisher.
This is the stage map, with the stage in the toe of the Italian peninsula.
This is the stage profile.
The riders and the race caravan are gathering at the start.
The stage is ‘only’ 138km long but the riders face a neutralised sector of 12km, extending the time in the saddle.
Netcompany are the next team to sign on.
Pippo, Egan, e tifosi 💞 #Giroditalia pic.twitter.com/u0KjD8rrwIMay 12, 2026
The Giro is far more than a bike race, it’s a journey of discovery.
Meanwhile, the countdown to the Tour de France is already underway, with Remco Evenepoel one of the first riders to start his altitude training block.
This is the official stage profile and map. Look how long the stage follows the expose coast road.
Tappa 4️⃣ | Stage 4️⃣🚩 Catanzaro🏁 Cosenza📏 138 KM🏳️ 13:40#GirodItalia pic.twitter.com/FyRxtUFYP0May 12, 2026
In Catanzaro the teams have started to sign on, with Picnic first on stage.
Paul Magnier told L’Equipe he will try to survive the climb and so sprint for the stage victory but warned about the cross winds.
“If Vingegaard is in the first echelon and manages to distance Bernal, they’ll go all out on the climb to try and take as much time as possible from him. And that won’t be to my advantage.
If the climb has a tailwind, that won’t be to my advantage either. But I had a good altitude training camp. I don’t feel too bad in the mountains.”
The sun is out in Italy. There is little sign of wind at the start but the forecasts are for a strong headwind for the ride out of Catanzaro.
Philippa York also gave her view on the racing in her Giro d’Italia analysis.
She noted how “The Giro d’Italia is no stranger to a bit of drama, sometimes of an exciting nature and at others excruciatingly painful.”
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James Moultrie and Alasdair Fotheringham are on the ground at the Giro for Cyclingnews. They also completed the transfer from Bulgaria to Italy.
Paul Magnier (Soudal-Quickstep) made it two wins in three days in a three-way photo finish in Sofia but will have to suffer on the climb today if he wants to sprint for a third win.
This is our full stage 4 preview.
Today’s stage is a 138km ride from Catanzaro to Cosenza in the southern Calabria region of Italy.
The wind is blowing in Italy today and so it could be a factor, especially along the coast road. We could see attacks, the peloton lined out and perhaps even splits due to echelons and the cross wind.
The wind is blowing from the riders’ left at average speed of 25 km/h.
Buongiorno and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of stage 4 of the 2026 Giro d’Italia