The Giro d’Italia 2026 resumes in Italy on Tuesday, 12th May, with stage 4 taking the peloton from Catanzaro to Cosenza after the first rest day and the long transfer from Bulgaria. It is the first stage on Italian roads, and while it is not expected to be a major GC day, it is awkward enough to make the finale more interesting than a routine sprint.
The stage is 138km long, with 1,800 metres of climbing and the long Cozzo Tunno climb placed deep enough into the route to put the pure sprinters under pressure. The finish in Cosenza also rises slightly, with the final 450 metres at around 3.7 per cent, so this looks more like a day for a strong, durable fast finisher than a classic flat bunch sprint.
Guillermo Thomas Silva starts the day in the maglia rosa after his stage 2 win in Veliko Tarnovo and a safe ride through stage 3. Paul Magnier, meanwhile, arrives in Italy as the standout sprinter of the race after winning two of the opening three stages. Stage 4 will test whether that dominance can continue when the terrain becomes less straightforward.
Photo Credit: GettyWhat time does Giro d’Italia stage 4 start in the UK?
Stage 4 starts at 13:40 local time in Italy, which is 12:40 in the UK.
The finish is expected at around 17:03 local time, or 16:03 in the UK, although some timing schedules allow for a slightly later finish depending on race speed. For UK viewers, the key window should be from around 14:45 onwards, when the race begins moving towards the main climb and the sprint teams have to show how much control they still have.
Key stage details:
- Date: Tuesday, 12th May
- Route: Catanzaro to Cosenza
- Distance: 138km
- Altitude gain: 1,800 metres
- Main climb: Cozzo Tunno
- Stage start: 12:40 UK time
- Expected finish: around 16:03 UK time
- Current race leader: Guillermo Thomas Silva
How to watch Giro d’Italia stage 4 live in the UK
UK viewers can watch Giro d’Italia stage 4 live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
TNT Sports is the main linear TV option, while HBO Max is the streaming platform carrying live cycling coverage in the UK. Coverage is expected to include live pictures from the stage, commentary and analysis as the race resumes after the first rest day.
There is also a free-to-air highlights option, with DMAX showing Giro d’Italia highlights from 7pm to 8pm. That will be useful for viewers who cannot watch the stage live during the afternoon.
What is the route for stage 4?
Stage 4 runs from Catanzaro to Cosenza, giving the Giro its first Italian stage of 2026. The distance is short by Grand Tour standards, but the route is not completely simple.
The opening part should be relatively manageable, with the race heading towards Lamezia Terme and then along the Tyrrhenian coast. That section should allow the breakaway to form and the bunch to settle, although teams may be slightly more nervous after the transfer day and the crash-heavy opening block in Bulgaria.
The key difficulty comes after San Lucido, where the road rises towards Cozzo Tunno. The climb is long rather than brutal, and it should not create major GC gaps, but it is hard enough to test the heavier sprinters if the pace is high. A steady tempo would keep plenty of fast men in contention. A more aggressive approach could thin the bunch and remove some lead-out support.
After the climb, the route drops towards the Crati plain before the final approach into Cosenza. The finish is not steep, but it rises enough to change the sprint dynamic. It rewards riders who can hold power after a difficult final hour rather than those relying only on a flat, high-speed lead-out.
Why stage 4 is not a normal sprint stage
The stage is officially one of the flatter days of the race, but that does not make it simple. The combination of a long climb, descent, urban finale and rising finishing straight makes it much harder to control than the opening sprint stages in Bulgaria.
That is why the favourites list has shifted towards riders such as Tobias Lund Andresen, Corbin Strong and Ben Turner, as well as Paul Magnier. They all have the kind of profile that can handle a more selective sprint. Jonathan Milan and Dylan Groenewegen remain dangerous if the race comes back together, but they will need support over Cozzo Tunno and a clean run into the final kilometre.
The biggest tactical question is how hard the climb is ridden. If teams with stronger uphill sprinters decide to push the pace, the race could become a reduced sprint. If the bunch rides more conservatively, the pure sprinters have a much better chance of returning to the front before Cosenza.
What happened before the rest day?
The Giro’s Bulgarian Grande Partenza produced more drama than expected. Magnier won stage 1 in Burgas, Silva took a historic stage 2 victory in Veliko Tarnovo and moved into the maglia rosa, and Magnier then won again on stage 3 in Sofia.
The GC picture remains tight, with Silva only four seconds ahead of Florian Stork and Egan Bernal. Thymen Arensman and Giulio Ciccone are close behind, while Jonas Vingegaard and several other overall contenders remain in the 10-second group.
The biggest setback of the race so far has been Adam Yates’ abandon after the stage 2 crash. That has forced UAE Team Emirates-XRG to rethink their Giro before the race has even reached its first Italian stage.
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Photo Credit: Getty
Who are the riders to watch?
Tobias Lund Andresen looks like one of the best fits for the finish in Cosenza. The route is not hard enough to turn the day into a climbers’ race, but it should suit a fast finisher who can handle a long climb and still sprint strongly on a rising road.
Corbin Strong is another obvious contender if the race becomes more selective. He does not need a perfectly organised flat sprint, and this kind of awkward finale should bring him into the conversation if the bunch is reduced.
Paul Magnier still has to be taken seriously after winning two of the first three stages. The question is whether Soudal Quick-Step can keep enough control over the climb and descent to deliver him into the right position. If they do, the finish itself should not be too hard for him.
Jonathan Milan and Dylan Groenewegen need a more controlled race. Both have the speed to win, but Cozzo Tunno could make their day more complicated, especially if rival teams try to remove lead-out riders before the finale.
Ben Turner, Jonathan Narvaez, Kaden Groves, Madis Mihkels and Filippo Ganna also suit different versions of this stage. Turner, Narvaez and Groves are dangerous if the race becomes tougher, Mihkels has been consistent so far, and Ganna is an obvious late-attack threat if the sprint teams hesitate after the descent.
Giro d’Italia 2026 stage 4 prediction
Stage 4 should come back together, but not necessarily as a full bunch sprint. The climb is long enough to change the feel of the day, and the final drag in Cosenza gives the edge to riders with a little more resilience.
Magnier is the form sprinter of the race, but this finish looks slightly better suited to Tobias Lund Andresen. If Decathlon CMA CGM Team can keep him protected over Cozzo Tunno and position him well in the final kilometre, he has the right mix of durability, timing and sprint speed for the first Italian stage of the Giro.
Prediction: Tobias Lund Andresen to win stage 4 in Cosenza.
