Who will win the Giro d'Italia Women?

The 2026 Giro d’Italia Women promises an intense battle among some of the sport’s most accomplished riders, with the revised calendar positioning the race eight weeks before the Tour de France Femmes. This scheduling allows competitors to target strong performances in both events, a strategy exemplified by Dutch rider Demi Vollering, who enters the race as the clear favourite. Vollering has enjoyed an exceptional season, securing multiple victories including two Monument Classics, and is aiming to add the Giro title to her palmarès after finishing third in 2021. Her all-rounder capabilities, particularly her climbing prowess, make her a formidable contender in the demanding Italian Grand Tour. Elisa Longo Borghini, the defending champion and home favourite, is poised to challenge Vollering fiercely for a third consecutive Giro victory. Despite a disrupted start to her season due to illness, the experienced Italian rider has demonstrated resilience and remains a strong contender with a deep knowledge of the race’s demands. Longo Borghini’s previous performances, including wearing the leader’s pink jersey throughout the 2024 edition and becoming only the second Italian woman to win the Giro multiple times, underscore her status as a formidable presence on the course. Swiss rider Marlen Reusser, who finished second in last year’s Giro, faces uncertainty following a recent crash that resulted in a fractured vertebra. Although she has been spotted training on a time trial bike, her form and fitness remain questions ahead of the race. Reusser’s injury setbacks earlier in the season have hampered her momentum, potentially limiting her ability to contend for the overall classification despite her proven capabilities in stage racing. Other notable names include sprinter Lorena Wiebes, expected to dominate the flatter stages, and young British rider Cat Ferguson, who may target punchier terrain that falls short of the hardest climbs favoured by general classification contenders. The diverse field, strengthened by the calendar change, sets the stage for a dynamic and unpredictable race, with multiple riders capable of seizing opportunities across the varied terrain of the nine-day event. The outcome will likely hinge on form, strategy, and the ability to recover between the Giro and the Tour de France Femmes.