The Giro d'Abruzzo is a classic Italian stage race held in the hilly Abruzzo region, traditionally featuring punchy, selective terrain that rewards all-round climbers and punchy attackers over pure grimpeurs. The 2026 edition, scheduled for mid-September, falls at the tail end of the European season and carries a 2.1 classification, attracting a competitive mix of ProTeam and Continental squad riders. With a hilly profile and a hill finish deciding the GC, the race will suit riders who can sustain repeated accelerations over rolling to steep terrain.
★★★★
Top Favorite
Kévin Vauquelin is the most complete hills rider in this startlist and enters with team strength behind him at INEOS Grenadiers. His recent form on similar terrain shows consistent top-10 appearances, and a race of this level on hilly Italian roads is precisely where he is expected to lead and deliver.
INEOS Grenadiers
INEOS Grenadiers
Kévin Vauquelin arrives as the top-rated hills specialist in this field and brings strong INEOS Grenadiers team support to a hilly GC race tailor-made for his profile. While he hasn't converted his similar-profile form into wins recently, he has posted multiple top-10 finishes on comparable terrain and enters as the clear favourite.
★★★
Strong Contenders
Diego Ulissi and Alessandro Fancellu both bring compelling recent form on comparable hilly profiles. Ulissi's experience on Italian terrain is invaluable, while Fancellu's run of top-3 and top-5 results in similar races makes him the most statistically convincing challenger in the field right now.
MBH Bank CSB
MBH Bank CSB
Alessandro Fancellu has been the standout performer on similar hilly terrain recently, posting a top-3 and three top-5 finishes in comparable races over the past 90 days. Racing on home roads for MBH Bank CSB adds further motivation and familiarity with this type of Italian terrain.
XDS Astana
XDS Astana
Diego Ulissi is one of the most experienced campaigners in this field with a proven record on hilly Italian racing, and his multiple top-10 finishes on similar profiles in the last 90 days confirm he remains in good shape. The XDS Astana veteran knows how to manage a stage race and could be Vauquelin's most dangerous rival.
★★
Dark Horses
Cedrik Christophersen earns his dark-horse status through the only outright win on a similar profile in the past 90 days — stage 4 of the Arctic Race of Norway — signalling sharp current form. Xabier Berasategi and Wout Poels both add depth at this tier, with Berasategi showing the most consistent top-10 rate on hilly terrain and Poels offering the experience and climbing quality to stay in contention to the final kilometre.
Unibet Rose
Unibet Rose
Cedrik Christophersen is the only rider in this field to have won on a similar profile in the last 90 days, taking stage 4 of the Arctic Race of Norway, which makes him a credible dark horse despite his lower overall hills ranking relative to the top names. His form is clearly peaking at the right time.
Unibet Rose
Unibet Rose
Wout Poels combines strong hills ability with solid climbing credentials and has two top-10 finishes on similar terrain in recent weeks. The experienced Unibet Rose rider is a reliable GC threat in hilly stage races of this level and could challenge if the race comes down to the final climb.
Euskaltel-Euskadi
Euskaltel-Euskadi
Xabier Berasategi has been one of the more consistent performers on hilly terrain recently, accumulating two top-5 finishes and four top-10s in similar-profile races over the past 90 days. The Euskaltel-Euskadi climber thrives on punchy, selective courses and is a genuine threat in the GC battle.
★
Ones to Watch
The one-star selections reflect a blend of raw hills ability and flashes of recent form that fall short of the top tiers. Nicola Conci and Mathys Rondel each bring top-10 results on similar profiles, Ludovico Crescioli has arguably the best recent consistency of any rider at this tier, and Dorian Godon offers INEOS Grenadiers a capable backup option who could capitalise if the race breaks open unexpectedly.
INEOS Grenadiers
INEOS Grenadiers
Dorian Godon rounds out the INEOS Grenadiers' strong team presence and is a capable hills rider who can play a dual role of team support and personal GC ambition. Though his similar-profile results haven't fired yet, he offers quality in depth for the squad and shouldn't be entirely discounted.
Polti
Polti
Ludovico Crescioli has shown consistent hilly-race form lately, with a top-3 and four top-10s on similar profiles in the past 90 days. Racing on Italian soil for Polti, he is a name to watch as a local wild card in this GC.
Tudor Pro Cycling
Tudor Pro Cycling
Mathys Rondel has logged two top-10 finishes on comparable hilly profiles recently and brings solid climbing and hills ability to the Tudor Pro Cycling lineup. An outside shot at a top-five finish if the race suits a more aggressive, punchy style.
XDS Astana
XDS Astana
Nicola Conci is one of the better-rated hills riders in the XDS Astana squad and has a top-10 on similar terrain to his name recently. He could benefit from racing alongside Ulissi and take advantage if the GC race breaks open.
Verdict
Kévin Vauquelin stands out as the clear favourite given his top hills pedigree and the full backing of INEOS Grenadiers, with Diego Ulissi and the in-form Alessandro Fancellu posing the most serious threats to his overall victory.