"I would have preferred to skip that trip": Jonas Vingegaard slams long Bulgaria-Italy transfer on rest day

Monday is the first rest day of the 2026 Giro d'Italia, but for the riders and staff, it will probably just feel like a long day of travel. The entire race is packing up and moving from Bulgaria all the way down to Catanzaro in southern Italy. While the team buses face a massive drive, most of the riders, including top contender Jonas Vingegaard, are catching a flight on Sunday evening to get a head start.

Just like in 2022 (when they started in Hungary) and 2025 (Albania), the Giro is having its first rest day after only three stages. This early break is built into the schedule simply so the race can move from its foreign start back to Italy for Stage 4.

This move creates a huge problem for the team staff. Getting the main team bus and all the bikes and gear to the start line on Tuesday is no easy task. It takes at least 19 hours to drive from Sofia to southern Italy, and not every squad has a second bus waiting for them when they arrive.

Luckily for the riders, their trip is a bit easier. Most of the peloton is taking a plane from Sofia to Italy on Sunday night. However, with the physical toll the race takes on the body, not everyone is thrilled about spending time in a crowded airport and airplane.

"I would have preferred to skip that trip, and I have brought my mask and hand sanitizer," Jonas Vingegaard told the media before heading to the airport.

This big trip from Bulgaria to Italy won't be the last time the riders have to pack their bags for a long haul this month. Even though the rest of the race stays inside Italy's borders, there is another huge transfer right at the very end.

After Stage 20 finishes up in the northern mountains of Piancavallo, the peloton has to get all the way down to Rome for the final sprint stage. That is about a six-hour drive by car, which means many riders will likely be hopping on another plane before the race is officially over.