"Stage 19 will remind us of the feats of Marco Pantani" – Vincenzo Nibali excited by Giro route reveal and hopes for Vingegaard–Del Toro Maglia Rosa duel
Cycling
Vincenzo Nibali has never been shy about what makes the Giro d’Italia special, but for the Italian Grand Tour icon, the 2026 route unveiling has clearly stirred something deeper.
Speaking to Tutto Bici Web, the two-time Giro winner said the new design sets up a decisive final week and even carries echoes of Marco Pantani — especially Stage 19 to Alleghe, which he believes has the potential to reshape the entire race.
Nibali also hopes the next edition delivers a generational showdown between Team Visma | Lease a Bike leader Jonas Vingegaard and rising UAE Team Emirates - XRG star Isaac Del Toro, a battle he feels Italian roads — and this parcours — are perfectly built for.
Nibali points to Alleghe–Piancavallo as race-defining
Straight to the point, Nibali highlighted how the third week is loaded with mountain terrain capable of deciding everything. “The route, as always, is very good and in the final week there will be some very important summit finishes.”
That crescendo, he emphasised, revolves around two back-to-back mountain days: Alleghe on Stage 19, followed by Piancavallo.
“It will be a crescendo of great emotions with the finish in Alleghe, which could make the difference. But if I have to give an opinion, the stage from Gemona del Friuli to Piancavallo will remind us of the feats of Marco Pantani and could shake up the standings. That will be a day where the GC riders will have to play every card they have.”
Nibali also singled out Aosta–Pila — a huge 4,000-metre climbing day — as another flashpoint where teams rather than individuals may determine who survives. “Aosta–Pila has 4000 metres of climbing and it will be important to have the team close. There will be explosive stages where there will be major selection.”
Marco Pantani is one of the icons of the Giro d'Italia
Eyes on Vingegaard — and on Del Toro
Nibali, one of only seven riders in history to win all three Grand Tours, admitted he hopes the Giro plays host to another rider joining that elite club. “Of course Vingegaard is very strong. He has just won the Vuelta and if he were to win the Giro he would certainly add another major result. I’ve read that he wants to come and I hope he really does.”
But it wasn’t just the Dane who caught his imagination. Nibali also spoke enthusiastically about the sport’s newest phenomenon, Isaac Del Toro. “It would also be great to see a young rider like Del Toro, who is showing incredible progression.”
A Vingegaard–Del Toro duel for pink would be the storyline the race organiser dreams of — and Nibali all but endorsed that hope.
Pellizzari, Tiberi and Ciccone: Italian hopes get Nibali’s backing
Italy’s next generation also received strong encouragement from the Sicilian, starting with Giulio Pellizzari. “There’s Giulio Pellizzari, who has just turned 22. He rides for a big, important team and because of that he could have good opportunities.”
He also believes Antonio Tiberi is poised to rebound after a turbulent year. “He’s had a difficult season and I don’t know what his programme will be, but I think next year he’ll be on the way back.”
And among the more experienced riders, Nibali was keen to highlight Giulio Ciccone — but with a realistic target. “I know Giulio well and he’s a great rider. I know he doesn’t want to aim for the general classification and I think this is the best decision. If he manages to win stages, I’d be really happy for him.”
With Alleghe and Piancavallo poised to define the narrative, and with the possibility of giants like Vingegaard lining up alongside Italy’s next wave of talent, Nibali believes the Corsa Rosa is set for a vintage year.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- Bruyneel, for all his faults, guided a team to seven straight TdF victories. He's got his bona fides. Criticizing him on his tactical nous or team strategies seems a bit weak. He's entitled to his opinion.Occam12-11-2026
- You don't have to calculate it. Just watch "Anatomy of a G.O.A.T." and you will have all the numbers but... ... if you are Ford and you will calculate numbers of Lamborghini it will not help you. Just saying..averagecyclist12-11-2026
- anybody can calculate the numbers of Tadej , its not secret. We already have the parcour distance elevation data, we have the strava data of a number of riders for reference, we have Pogi's time vs distance. Form there Pogi numbers on every climb can be calculated. Having numbers means nothingabstractengineer12-11-2026
- Again completely stupid. THere is a reason Pogi is Goat, nobody can match his performances, it is physiologically impossible for a rider to equal thru training , nutrition(Pogi has better or equal) and equipment.(Pogi has better or equal) . its mainly genetic.abstractengineer12-11-2026
- Mathieu and Wout!!! You must start in CX this winter! (hope you reading comments here...) ;-)averagecyclist12-11-2026
- Who made you site boss?Lozza12-11-2026
- This shows so well you’ve never ventured out to a cycling event and checked out spectators.Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
- I preferred the one about amateur riders and passing (perhaps to explain why he can’t ride at 220 which would probably be more effective to return to shape).Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
- Not just ManU, far worse in some minority sports ventures.Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
- From your writing it sounds like you’ve been sharing your views with people here for quite a while, quite presumouptuous for a new profile.Jumpyjohn12-11-2026
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