Südtirol/Alto Adige to welcome Tour of the Alps with three spectacular days  

There are places where cycling meets the sky and the mountains, where pure effort is rewarded with breathtaking views. These are territories where roads climb through meadows and orchards with glaciers in the background, and every hairpin bend tells the story of a past cycling feat. Südtirol/Alto Adige is one of these places and will be the second region of the Euregio to be crossed by the 49th Tour of the Alps (20–24 April, 2026), featuring three intense racing days: Tuesday's uphill finish in Martell/Val Martello, Wednesday's start in Latsch/Laces, and Friday's grand finale in the provincial capital, Bozen/Bolzano. 

On Tuesday, April 21, after the start of stage two in Telfs, Tirol, the euro-regional stage race will enter Südtirol/Alto Adige, crossing the Italian-Austrian border, before reaching the summit of the Reschen Pass/Passo Resia. From there, riders will be greeted by the turquoise expanse of Reschensee/Lago di Resia, the largest lake in Südtirol/Alto Adige. The lake is famous for the old church tower of Grawn im Vinschgau/Curon Venosta that emerges from its waters, and it preserves the memory of the ancient village that was submerged after the dam was built in 1950 and later rebuilt further uphill.

The route then continues at altitude for several kilometres before dropping into the Vinschgau/Val Venosta valley. Just over six kilometres from the finish line, the riders will tackle the final climb to Martell/Val Martello, which has an average gradient of 8%. The gradient eases approximately 500 metres from the finish line, where a short false flat and a final ramp lead to the finish, set in an unspoilt landscape where nature, tranquillity and mountain culture converge. This highly selective finale was already decisive during the 2014 Giro d’Italia, when Colombian Nairo Quintana attacked solo to claim his first 'Maglia Rosa' and lay the foundations for overall victory. It caps off a 147.5 km stage that promises to be the first real showdown among the GC contenders. 

On Wednesday, April 22, the Tour of the Alps will restart in Latsch/Laces, a lively village in the heart of Vinschgau/Val Venosta which is crossed by the Adige river and is known for its mild climate. Before heading towards Trentino, where the race will finish in Arco after 174.5 km, the peloton will tackle the long, challenging ascent of the first-category Hofmahdjoch/Passo Castrin pass (22.2 km at an average gradient of 5.7%), which is the highest point of this year's race and marks the natural border between the Provinces of Bozen/Bolzano and Trento. The Hofmahdjoch/Castrin tunnel, which has linked Ultental/Val d’Ultimo with Val di Non since 1998, is located at the foot of the Ilmenkamm/Maddalene mountain range, which offers many hiking routes. 

"We are delighted to host the tenth anniversary edition of the Tour of the Alps project. It is a great honour for us to stage the second stage finish in Martell/Val Martello and the start of the third stage in Latsch/Laces. Martell/Val Martello previously hosted the queen stage of the Giro d'Italia in 2014. This year, we have the opportunity to open the Vinschgau/Val Venosta spring season with another world-class cycling event. We would like to thank the riders, the entire organization, the volunteers, and everyone who will contribute to the success of the Tour of the Alps. For our territory, this event is an important tourism opportunity. We wish all teams a successful race and hope to share some unforgettable moments,” said Roman Schwienbacher, President of the Latsch-Martell/Laces-Martello Tourism Board, alongside Latsch/Laces Mayor Mauro Dalla Barba and Martell-o Mayor Georg Altstätter.

Following the start of stage 5, which is 128.6 km long, in Trento on Friday, April 24, Südtirol/Alto Adige will also host the grand finale of the euro-regional event, with the final stage in Bozen/Bolzano. After about 20 kilometres, the race enters the Bozen/Bolzano Province via the Südtiroler Weinstraße/Strada del Vino dell'Alto Adige, where almost the entire vineyard area boasts DOC certification.

Once the riders reach Kaltern/Caldaro, which is known for its namesake lake, the stage profile changes with the ascent of Kalterer Höhe/Caldaro Alta, a second-category KOM (4.4 km at 6.6%). This is followed by a fast descent and a flat stretch leading to the first passage over the finish line in Bozen/Bolzano, with 50 kilometres still to go. 

Leaving the city, the riders head towards Jenesien/San Genesio, a tourist destination on the Salten plateau overlooking the capital. After climbing for 3.5 kilometres, they turn left onto a 19-kilometre circuit to be repeated twice. This features the first-category Nobls/Montoppio climb (9.2 kilometres at 6.2%). Three kilometres of twists and turns await at the summit, followed by the final intermediate sprint with bonus seconds at the second passage through Oberglaning/Cologna di Sopra and a fast descent to the finish in Bozen/Bolzano.

The South Tyrolean capital is ready to crown the king of the 2026 Tour of the Alps. With its history, landmarks — such as the famous Cathedral, a true Romanesque-Gothic gem — and culture, Bozen/Bolzano represents a meeting point of Italian and German languages, traditions, and customs. 

“Bozen/Bolzano is a cycling city by nature,” said Roland Buratti, President of the Bozen/Bolzano Tourism Board. “A network of almost 70 kilometres of cycle paths connects all the main urban areas and tourist attractions. This has fostered a deep-rooted cycling culture, strengthened by historic events such as the Giro delle Dolomiti, and soon to be joined by the ambitious grand finale of the Tour of the Alps. We look forward to giving our guests — and, of course, all those who live here — the chance to cheer on these champions as they race through the heart of Bozen/Bolzano and in the shadow of the Dolomites.”