site.btaBulgaria to Host Giro d'Italia Start in 2026

Bulgaria will host the start of one of the biggest sporting events, Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy), in 2026, said Tourism Minister Miroslav Borshosh during a joint briefing with Sports Minister Ivan Peshev at the Council of Ministers.

“On Wednesday, the government supported the proposal from the two ministries to finalize negotiations for hosting this prestigious sporting event,” Borshosh said. In the negotiations, Bulgaria competed with several other countries. “This is an event that transforms the country hosting the start,” said Borshosh. “The Giro d’Italia will put our country on the global tourism map and will make Bulgaria a recognizable destination,” the Minister added. According to him, the additional benefits for Bulgaria’s image from this event are enormous.

The Giro d’Italia start (Grande Partenza) in Bulgaria will take place in 2026 and will include dozens of municipalities, which is extremely important for their development, said Borshosh. The race will consist of three stages, beginning in one part of Bulgaria and ending in another. The exact dates and routes will be announced later, along with the budget, Borshosh said.

The start of Giro d'Italia, often referred to as the Grande Partenza, marks the official beginning of the race and is a highly prestigious event. It usually takes place outside Italy every few years as part of international promotion. Past foreign starts have included countries like the Netherlands, Israel, Northern Ireland, Hungary, and Denmark.