Search our site:

Sign up for our Email Newsletter

Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Monday, May 11, 2026

Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary | Our YouTube page

Love is being stupid together. - Paul Valery

Les Woodland's book Cycling Heroes: The Golden Years is available in the print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing

• May 8 - 31: Giro d'Italia

Upcoming racing:

• May 16: Tour du Finistère
• May 17: Rund um Köln

Latest completed racing:

• May 10: Tro-Bro Léon
• April 26 - May 3: Tour of Turkey
• April 28 - May 3: Tour de Romandie
• May 1: Eschborn-Frankfurt
• April 26: Giro dell'Appennino
• April 23 - 26: Vuelta Asturias
• April 26: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
• April 20 - 24: Tour of the Alps
• April 22: La Flèche Wallonne
• April 19: Amstel Gold Race
• April 15 - 19: Tour of Hainan
• April 14 - 18: O Gran Camiño
• April 17: De Brabantse Pijl
• April 19: Tour du Doubs race cancelled
• April 12: Paris-Roubaix
• April 6 - 11: Itzulia Basque Country (Tour of the Basque Country)
• April 7 - 10: Région Pays de la Loire Tour

We posted the report from stage winner Paul Magnier's Team Soudal Quick-Step with the results.

Here’s the Giro stage three report from GC leader Thomas Silva's XDS Astana Team:

After Stage 3 of the Giro d’Italia, XDS Astana Team rider Thomas Silva retained the pink jersey as the leader of the General Classification. The stage ended with a sprint on the central streets of Bulgaria’s capital city, Sofia. Two XDS Astana Team riders, Matteo Malucelli (5th place) and Davide Ballerini (8th place), finished in the top ten.

Thomas Silva retained the Maglia Rosa. Sirotti photo

The situation in the General Classification remained unchanged, and Thomas Silva continues to lead the race. After tomorrow’s rest day, the XDS Astana Team rider will start Tuesday’s stage in Italy wearing the Maglia Rosa for the first Italian stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia.

“Of course, today we wanted to do everything possible to keep the pink jersey. The team did a fantastic job – we let the breakaway go and then controlled the race throughout the day. Closer to the finish, my teammates helped me stay in a good position in the peloton, while Matteo (Malucelli) and Davide (Ballerini) took part in the sprint. In the end, everything worked out well – the pink jersey stayed with us, and we are bringing it to Italy. I think it’s great to keep the pink jersey until the Italian stages, it gives us extra motivation. The last 24 hours have felt like a dream for me, it’s impossible to describe in words. In any case, I’m trying to enjoy every moment”, – said Thomas Silva.

Here's the Giro report from Jonas Vingegaard's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:

The third and final Giro stage on Bulgarian soil passed without issues for Team Visma | Lease a Bike. The riders sprinted for victory through the streets of capital Sofia. The riders will now head to Italy, where the Giro resumes on Tuesday.

The stage of the Giro d'Italia took the peloton from Plovdiv to the capital, Sofia. Along the way, the climb over the Borovets Pass was the only major obstacle. 

Three breakaway riders animated the race for a long time, but their effort ultimately came to an end inside the final kilometer. Team Visma | Lease a Bike did not contest the victory in the bunch sprint. Paul Magnier claimed the stage win. 

Jonas Vingegaard heads to the start of Giro stage three. Sirotti photo

Sports director Marc Reef looked back on the opening weekend of the Giro d'Italia: “The goal was to come through the opening stages safely, and with Jonas we succeeded in doing that. He rode a strong finale yesterday, which gives us a lot of confidence for the rest of this race. The downside is that Wilco crashed hard in the second stage. We’ll have to wait and see how that develops over the next few days. Overall, we’re in a good position and looking forward to the continuation of the Giro in Italy.” 

Monday marks the first rest day of this Giro d'Italia. The riders will leave Bulgaria and travel to Catanzaro, where stage four gets underway on Tuesday.

And here's the Giro report from Egan Benal's Netcompany INEOS Cycling Team:

Egan Bernal and Thymen Arensman continued early GC hopes at the Giro d'Italia, as the finish of stage three saw them maintain third and fourth position overall.

The 175km stage from Plovdiv to Sofia saw an early attack of three away for most of the race, racking up a three minute lead, before being caught in the final kilometre. Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) took the win in the sprint finish.

Egan Bernal at the start of the 2026 Giro d'Italia. Sirotti photo

All of our riders safely finished the stage in the bunch, with Magnus Sheffield leading the Netcompany INEOS riders home. Bernal continues to sit third on the general classification, with Arensman six seconds back in fourth.

The third stage also acted as the final stage in Bulgaria, with the peloton now travelling to Italy to begin racing again on Tuesday.