Every second counts in a Grand Tour and the Red Bull Kilometre intermediate sprints and stage finishes will again offer precious bonus seconds and cash prizes on each of the 20 road race stages of this year's Giro d'Italia.
Time bonuses of ten, six and four seconds are awarded at stage finishes, with six, four and two seconds awarded at the Red Bull KM. There are also significant cash prizes, with a total of €130,000 awarded in the Red Bull KM to sprint and overall winners.
The total prize money for the 2026 Giro d'Italia is €1,642,860, with €867,510 awarded in the four jersey classifications and €775,350 awarded in the many special classifications.
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In the 2025 Giro, Isaac del Toro swept up 14 seconds in Red Bull KM sprints, and this year the position of the sprint has been moved closer to the stage finishes, making them more strategically important for the overall fight for victory. The bonuses could also decide who pulls on the maglia rosa early in the race.
Another intermediate sprint is positioned more mid-distance on each road stage, offering points toward the cyclamen-coloured points classification leader's jersey but no time bonuses.
The Red Bull KM is highlighted by Red Bull branding along the roadside for one kilometre. On stage 1, it will be positioned 32.3km from the finish in Burgas and is only 15.5km from the finish of stage 2 to Veliko Tarnovo, at the foot of the late climb.
The Red Bull KM is just 13km from the finish of stage 3 to Sofia that is expected to end in a sprint. The time bonuses at the finish will decide who pulls on the first maglia rosa in Burgas but the Red Bull KM time bonuses could spark changes in the race leaderships in the subsequent stages.
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The overall contenders could also opt to target the Red Bull KM bonus seconds. On Stage 7 to Blockhaus, the sprint comes 1.7km into the 13.6km finishing climb.
It has a similar position on stage 9 to Corno alle Scale in the Apennines and stage 14 to Pila on the Val d'Aosta. The Red Bull KM is just 15.4km from the rolling finish of stage 17 to Andalo and mid-way up the Passo Falzarego on stage 18. During the final mountain stage to Piancavallo, it is positioned after the first climb of the mountain finish.
The Red Bull KM sprints also offer 15, 8, 5, 3 and 1 points and cash prizes of €5,000 each day, with each winner then wearing a blue number on the following stage. A red race number is worn by the rider selected as showing the most 'Fighting Spirit' on the previous stage.
The Red Bull KM General Classification is decided on points, with €15,000 awarded to the winner, €10,000 for second place and €5,000 for third.
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Stephen is one of the most experienced members of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. Before becoming Editor-at-large, he was Head of News at Cyclingnews. He has previously worked for Shift Active Media, Reuters and Cycling Weekly. He is a member of the Board of the Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC).
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