After the grand opening on the shores of the Black Sea, the Giro d'Italia 2026, on its second day, will venture into the Bulgarian interior for a long, very long stage of 221 km, from Burgas to Veliko Tarnovo. The caravan will traverse half of Bulgaria, the transfer will be lengthy (we tested it firsthand), but the roads are in excellent condition and riders should have no problems. The Bulgarian Government has allocated 15 million euros for road resurfacing in numerous areas affected by the Giro and, as they assured us, they will be working until the last day to make the route as safe and "beautiful" as possible.

One of the most pleasant discoveries during our reconnaissance in Bulgaria was the immense countryside of the interior, green and well-maintained in a way that was difficult to imagine. Apple trees, peach trees, cherry trees, and then various areas of bright yellow with rapeseed or the purple of lavender. This will be the scenery that riders will face for over 200 km of the stage.

STAGE 2: BURGAS - VELIKO TARNOVO (221 km)

Veliko Tarnovo rises in a scenic position among the bends of the Yantra River and was long the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, a role that profoundly shaped its identity and development. "By the numbers, we were capital for longer than Sofia is today. We still have a few decades of advantage," said Georgi Nedev, vice-mayor of the city, joking.

The symbol is the Tsarevets Fortress, a medieval complex perched on a hill, the political and religious heart of Bulgarian power between the 12th and 14th centuries. Even today, the urban profile, made up of suspended houses and irregular streets, conveys the sense of this historical heritage. Making the context even more evocative is the evening spectacle "Sound and Light" which we had the fortune to witness: music, lights, lasers and bells tell the story of Bulgaria in a spectacular way. Created in 1985 by a Czech-Bulgarian team, it is presented throughout the year, free of charge on holidays or by reservation on other occasions.

To reach it, the peloton will face the Byala Pass (7.7 km at 4.6%) and the Vratnik Pass (5.3 km at 5.4%) at mid-stage, both category 3 climbs. The finale is something to experience, because riders will already have more than 200 km in their legs and they will climb to the Lyaskovets Monastery (cat. 3, 3.6 km at 6.6%), which will be passed just 10 km from the finish. At that point, a descent into Veliko Tarnovo will begin, passing alongside the Tsarevets Fortress and a short section on cobblestones. The sprinters will certainly be ruled out and the Pink Jersey could already change hands.

Previous installment: Bulgaria and the Giro (1): The first Pink Jersey passes through the Black Sea

In the May issue of tuttoBICI we will present a special in-depth feature on the Grand Departure from Bulgaria