Giro d'Italia 2026 stage 7 preview, profiles, favourites & predictions - Will Jonas Vingegaard rule on Blockhaus?

The 2026 Giro d'Italia will take place from the 8th to the 31st of May. It is the first Grand Tour of the season, and there are 21 stages that will take the riders through many of Italy's iconic cities, the mythical Alps, and many treacherous stages - each one can end the climber's chances of winning. We preview stage 7, which is expected to start and finish at 11:45 and 17:30CET.

The longest stage of the race and the Giro has offered up something that is rare: A 200Km+ mountain stage. The Tour and Vuelta have completely left this stage template behind, but the Giro reignites a traditional formula.

Certainly, it's not a brutal stage, but in the Apennines there aren't many flat roads and the final half of the stage is quite difficult even before reaching Blockhaus. The start from Formia immediately provides some climbing terrain, which allows for a strong breakaway to form.

But it's a long stage, where endurance plays a role, and where saving as much as possible towards the final climb is key. The differences can certainly be made bigger due to that. There are 4400 meters of climbing on this stage, the toughest so far in the Corsa Rosa. Much of that comes on the last 110 kilometers, which feature four climbs - only one of them categorized - ahead of the final ascent.

And that is the mythical Blockhaus, perhaps the hardest of all mountains in the Appenines. Whilst not the longest side, the 13-kilometer long climb is very steep and constant and will create very meaningful differences.

The average gradient is of 8.6%, quite similar to the Alpe d'Huez, however on a much more exposed road, where the wind can also play more of a role. This, the first mountain stage, is also certain to separate those who will fight for the race win and those who won't; and will create a clear order in the race.

Jonas Vingegaard - The man to beat for the race and the stage. Bahrain will ultimately help control the long, long day on the bike, because they want to keep the pink jersey. I don't think any other team will want to take on responsibility or needs to. Visma have lost a rider as well, so the gap may balloon quite a lot. But in the final climb fatigue will be very high and the climb is just so hard, the stage is ultimately seeing Vingegaard as the main favourite. In this sort of day he can make huge differences if he has the legs, and Visma will be the team to pick it up on the final climb.

Giulio Pellizzari - Everyone else's job is to just try and follow until Vingegaard attacks, and then pace their way to the finish. Don't take too many risks, don't many silly decisions. In BORA's case, neither Pellizzari or Jai Hindley should work for each other, instead both do their own climb. The Italian is likely favourite number 2, but I do think there's a meaningful gap which is not going to be easy for him to match Vingegaard on.

Afonso Eulálio - As I said, Bahrain is the only team with real reasons to work. Not burn the team, but some base work. If Eulálio recovered from his stage 5 crash, I do anticipate a great climb, maybe a Top10 finish. In such case he does keep pink comfortably, all the way into the time trial; he is a very strong pure climber who will love these gradients. Damiano Caruso will stay with him for guiding and support, so they just have to hope for his injuries to have improved.

Igor Arrieta of UAE is likely also going to try and finish high on the stage, a Giro Top10 is on the cards. And on paper, this is the first big GC day, so many will be giving it their all and testing themselves, so they say where they lay in the big scheme of things.

Like Pellizzari, don't expect attacks from these men, but a gauge to where they are at. On paper, I expect a very strong Felix Gall on a climb like this; whilst Thymen Arensman and Michael Storer are in my opinion the other two main podium candidates.

Being close to home and in form, I do expect Giulio Ciccone to put on a good stage here, even though I don't think he will ultimately continue with his GC run - this will be more Derek Gee's responsibility, although I think his form still needs improving.

Egan Bernal, Ben O'Connor, Enric Mas, Mathys Rondel and Lennert van Eetvelt are some of the other men to watch who will be in the mix for the Top10.

If the stage goes for a breakaway, which is possible - let's face it, even if they want, controlling a 245-kilometer mountain stage is not an easy task - then a few riders do stand out; men who have lost time already but are strong climbers. Javier Romo, Einer Rubio, Harold Martín López, Andreas Leknessund, Filippo Zana, Wout Poels and Alessandro Pinarello are all men to watch.

*** Jonas Vingegaard

** Giulio Pellizzari, Thymen Arensman, Felix Gall

* Jai Hindley, Giulio Ciccone, Derek Gee, Michael Storer, Enric Mas, Lennert van Eetvelt, Einer Rubio, Alessandro Pinarello, Filippo Zana, Wout Poels

Pick: Jonas Vingegaard

How: Solo win.