Big news for the Tour of the Alps 2026

The distinctive character of a prestigious stage race such as the Tour of the Alps – that is, to involve two countries, Italy and Austria, in the same event each year – finds even more meaning in the presence at the 2026 edition of the two national teams, a “unicum” to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the cross-border collaboration project between Tyrol, South Tyrol and Trentino sanctioned with the signing of the Euro-regional memorandum of understanding in 2016.

This is the most surprising news that emerged from the press conference in Innsbruck, where the organization announced the list of registered teams in the presence of numerous dignitaries, including Deputy Governor of Tirol Philip Wohlgemuth, CEO of Tirol Werbung Karin Seiler, President of Innsbruck Tourism Peter Paul Mölk, Mayor of Telfs Christian Härting, President of the Austrian Cycling Federation Harald Mayer, Honorary President of the Tour of the Alps Giacomo Santini, and l’Ambassador Lukas Pöstlberger.

The Tour of the Alps 2026 (scheduled for April 20-24) is therefore letting its flags fly more than ever, those of Italy and Austria, which have been able to build a common identity around this project, recognizing themselves in the third flag, that of the Euregio, and exalting the landscapes, organizational skills, quality of hospitality and lifestyles of the territories that are part of it.

Martino Davidi

For the fourth time, the Tour of the Alps takes off from the Tyrol as it did in 2017 and 2019 (both from Kufstein) and in 2023 (in the Alpbachtal). This time it is the turn of the “capital” Innsbruck, still mindful of the World Championships hosted in 2018: the arrival of the first stage of the 2026 Tour of the Alps will not coincidentally be identical to that of Alejandro Valverde’s unforgettable rainbow day.

The Austrian state of Tyrol has over the past decade built an increasingly strong link to great international cycling. From the rainbow showcase of the 2018 World Road Championships to the UCI Bike Region recognition bestowed by the’world cycling governing body, the Tyrolean territory has gradually established itself as a privileged crossroads for two-wheelers, as much at the competitive level as at the amateur and tourist level.

The Tyrol is a major cycling destination in the world.

It is an exciting three days that the Tour of the Alps offers fans in the Tyrol. Sunday, April 19 with the preliminaries and the presentation of the teams, Monday, April 20 with the first stage starting and finishing in Innsbruck, and finally Tuesday, April 21 with the start in Telfs, where Tyrol will greet the caravan before it sets off for South Tyrol, specifically Val Martello. Subsequent stages will take the Tour first to the wonder of Lake Garda (to Arco) and then to Trento and Bolzano, the other two “capitals” in which the race will experience its exciting final days.