The finale may not be as explosive as the opening stage, but Stage 2 of Il Giro d’Abruzzo 2026, from Popoli Terme to Caramanico Terme, features the most climbing of the entire race, with 2,500 metres of elevation gain. With the following stages less demanding from an altitude perspective, another major GC battle can be expected.
For both Popoli and Caramanico, this will be their first time hosting a stage of a professional cycling race. Located at the entrance to the gorges connecting the Peligna Valley with the Pescara Valley, Popoli Terme was long known as the “Key to the Three Abruzzos”, thanks to its strategic position along the region’s main transport routes. Above all, it is a town shaped by water. The Sorgenti del Pescara, the springs of the Pescara River, have been protected by a nature reserve since 1986, while the sulphurous De Contra springs have traditionally been used for thermal treatments. This deep connection with its waters led to the town officially changing its name from Popoli to Popoli Terme in 2023. Its most famous son, however, is Corradino D’Ascanio, born here in 1891. An engineer and pioneer of vertical flight, he built an innovative helicopter that was successfully tested in 1930 before going on to design the Vespa for Piaggio, unveiled after the Second World War and destined to become an Italian icon around the world.
Shortly after the start comes the brutally steep Forcella di Acciano (4.7 km at 9.6%), already tackled at this year’s Giro Next Gen. The route then descends back towards Popoli before climbing again through Castiglione a Casauria and Pescosansonesco, continuing over rolling roads towards Nocciano. The final 20 km rise almost constantly, although without any prohibitive gradients, culminating at the Scagnano KOM before a gently undulating run to the finish.
Perched on a ridge between the Orta and Orfento valleys, in the heart of Majella National Park, Caramanico Terme is one of the main gateways to the Abruzzo mountains. The nearby Orfento Valley, carved by the river of the same name through rocky walls and woodland, is crossed by an extensive network of trails and footbridges. The National Park Visitor Centre houses a natural history and archaeological museum as well as a wildlife area dedicated to the Eurasian otter, a rare freshwater mustelid. The town’s identity is also closely tied to its sulphurous springs: its first thermal establishment opened in 1901, around which a more modern part of Caramanico subsequently developed.
