Lorenzo Finn is the favourite for the 2026 Giro Next Gen

Under 23 World Champion Lorenzo Finn (Red Bull–Bora Hansgrohe Rookies) emerged as the standout favorite for the upcoming Giro Next Gen, set to begin on Sunday, June 14, 2026. The race will showcase some of the best young talents in cycling who are about to transition into professional ranks.

This eight-day stage race is the finale of the three Giro d'Italia events organized by RCS Sport, following the men's Giro d'Italia in May, won by Jonas Vingegaard, and the recent Giro d'Italia Women, claimed by Demi Vollering. The Under 23 category involves 1,088 kilometers of racing with over 14,000 meters of elevation gain, commencing in Reggio Calabria near Sicily and concluding in L’Aquila on June 21, which will feature a decisive 22.2 km individual time trial.

The race begins favorably for sprinters, with early stages conducive to fast finishes before moving into the mountainous challenges of the Apennines in stages six and seven, which include Monte Livata and Piana delle Mele. Last year's Giro Next Gen was won by Slovenia's Jakob Omrzel, who edged out Australia's Luke Tuckwell. Both riders elevated to WorldTour teams this year, with Omrzel joining Bahrain Victorious and Tuckwell representing Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.

Lorenzo Finn, now 19 years old, decided to spend another season in the Under 23 category but has had various experiences racing with the WorldTour team. He is anticipated to become a significant competitor to both Paul Seixas and Omrzel in future stage races, solidifying his position as one of Italy's most promising talents.

Among other notable riders in the Giro Next Gen are Daan Dijkman, winner of the U23 Liège–Bastogne–Liège; Remi Daumas of France, who caught attention at the Ronde de l’Isard; Belgian Kamiel Eeman, victor of the Course de la Paix; and compatriot Matisse Van Kerckhove, who triumphed at the Alpes Isère Tour.

Stage hunters include the 2025 points jersey holder Aubin Sparfel (Decathlon CMA CGM Development), alongside stage winners Adam Rafferty (Hagens Berman Jayco) and Seth Dunwoody (Bahrain Victorious Development), as well as U23 Paris–Roubaix champion Davide Donati (Red Bull–Bora Hansgrohe Rookies).

Finn showcased impressive performance at the Tour of the Alps but sustained a wrist fracture due to a crash. After undergoing surgery, he was quoted saying, "Thanks to surgery I recovered quickly and don't have any problems on the bike." Recently, he trained at altitude to prepare for the Giro Next Gen, stating, "If everything goes to plan, I should peak for the start of the Giro and then we'll see what happens. I think I've improved every year and this year I feel stronger. I haven't raced for a while but my training has gone well."

Finn noted the race's structure differs from the previous year, highlighting that the last three days would critically impact the general classification, particularly the final time trial. He aims to be in peak condition for the Giro and remarked on the importance of managing fatigue towards the end of the race. Last year, after a sixth overall finish in the Giro Next Gen, he placed fourth in the Tour de L'Avenir, securing the U23 world title in Rwanda with a solo attack and finishing fourth in the time trial. Finn plans to follow a similar racing schedule this summer, competing with the Red Bull–Bora Hansgrohe team leading up to his anticipated step up to WorldTour level in 2027.