Narváez celebrated for the third time at the Giro 2026, Eulálio kept the pink jersey after a demanding stage to Chiavari
Jhonatan Narváez continued his exceptional run at the Giro d’Italia 2026 with victory in stage 11, ridden on Wednesday, 20 May, over a 195-kilometre route from Porcari to Chiavari. The Ecuadorian cyclist of UAE Team Emirates-XRG was faster in the finale than Enric Mas of Movistar, after the pair broke away from the leading escapees on the final climbs and reached the last kilometre together. According to the official stage profile, it was an extremely demanding section in the second part, with passages over the Passo del Termine, Colle di Guaitarola, the Cinque Terre area and short, steep climbs toward the finish in Chiavari. Narváez crossed the finish line in a time of 4:33:43, while Mas was recorded with the same time, and Diego Ulissi of XDS Astana was third, 11 seconds behind. Portugal’s Afonso Eulálio of Bahrain Victorious kept the pink jersey as the overall leader, turning a calm day for the main favourites into another important step in defending his surprising lead.
The duo decided the stage after an attack in the finale
The stage from Porcari, marked in the official materials as Paper District, to Ligurian Chiavari was not a classic mountain stage, but its configuration offered enough room for attacks, changes of rhythm and a tactical race from the breakaway. In its preview, the organiser highlighted that the first part was mostly flat, but technically demanding between Lucca and Camaiore, before entering the sections along the Via Aurelia. The truly selective part followed after La Spezia, where, according to the official description, the route led over the Passo del Termine and Colle di Guaitarola climbs and then through the Cinque Terre area. After Sestri Levante, the final series of obstacles consisted of Colla dei Scioli and Cogorno, two shorter and steep sections that broke the rhythm of the groups before the descent toward the host town.
According to the ProCyclingStats report, the breakaway of the day formed only after several unsuccessful attempts, and later included Narváez, Mas and Christian Scaroni. Several attacks followed on the final climbs, and the race was additionally marked by a crash on the last categorised climb, after which Lennert Van Eetvelt, Scaroni and Filippo Zana dropped out of the battle for the stage win. Mas attacked on the climb toward the Red Bull kilometre, and the only rider able to follow him was Narváez. The two of them kept their advantage to the finish, where the Ecuadorian showed more speed in the final sprint and recorded a new victory.
The official description of the finish explains why such an outcome could be expected. The last five kilometres included a short climb, then a descent toward the town and a flat final kilometre, with a 400-metre finishing straight on wide asphalt. Such a profile favoured a rider who could survive the hills, but also retain explosiveness for the sprint. Narváez found the space for victory precisely in that combination: Mas forced the selection on the climb, but on the flat finish the Ecuadorian had a clear advantage.
Narváez takes his third victory at this year’s edition
For Narváez, this was his third stage victory at the Giro d’Italia 2026, after he had already celebrated earlier in demanding stages in which UAE Team Emirates-XRG was looking for a way to make up for major personnel losses. BBC Sport states that the UAE team already lost three important riders in the second stage in Bulgaria, including Adam Yates, Jay Vine and Marc Soler, after a heavy crash in the rain. Such a development changed the team’s ambitions in the fight for the general classification, but at the same time opened room for a more aggressive approach to stage victories. In that scenario, Narváez became one of the most important assets, because he showed the ability to attack on different terrains.
According to the BBC report, Narváez explained after the finish that in the early phase of the stage he twice missed key moves by other riders and had to bridge the gap to the leading group on his own. Such an effort in cycling often comes at a high cost, especially on rolling stages where wind and changes of rhythm drain strength before the decisive climbs. Still, the Ecuadorian remained fresh enough in the finale to respond to Mas’s attack and then control the final showdown. His statement after the stage, in which he admitted that Mas had been stronger on the climbs, further shows how much the victory was the result of tactical adaptation, not only physical superiority.
For Narváez, this victory also has broader sporting significance. According to BBC Sport, he now has a total of five stage victories at the Giro d’Italia in his career, with three of them coming in the same edition of the race. For UAE Team Emirates-XRG, a team that had to redefine its approach after the early loss of important names, this is confirmation that the race can be ridden successfully even without a primary focus on the general classification. In such circumstances, every stage becomes a separate opportunity, and in Chiavari Narváez once again showed that he knows how to turn a difficult profile into a winning situation.
Mas fell short, but confirmed good form
Enric Mas finished second, with the same time as the winner, although it was precisely his attack that was the key moment in the finale. The Spaniard from Movistar tried to use terrain on which he could make a difference before the flat finish, aware that in a sprint against Narváez he would be in a more difficult position. According to ProCyclingStats’ description of the race, Mas accelerated on the climb toward the Red Bull kilometre and thereby practically separated the final duo from the rest of the leading group. However, as Narváez managed to stay with him, the finale turned into a situation that suited the UAE rider better.
Mas’s second place should nevertheless not be viewed only as a missed victory. After stages in which he was not at the forefront of the overall classification, his attack in the finale of stage 11 showed that he still has the strength for aggressive riding and that he can be relevant in the hunt for stage results. Spanish media highlighted that Mas tried to end a long streak without a victory, but in Chiavari he lacked finishing speed. In the context of the Giro, this is a result that brings visibility to Movistar and confirmation that opportunities can be sought through selective stages even when the fight for the pink jersey is not a realistic primary goal.
Third place went to Diego Ulissi, one of the most experienced Italian riders in the peloton, who finished 11 seconds behind Narváez and Mas. According to the results published by BBC Sport, behind him in the top five were Chris Harper of Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team and Aleksandr Vlasov of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. Such an order confirms that the finale selected a group of strong climbing and classics profiles, not sprinters. For a stage that had a flat road in the final kilometre, the key to victory was nevertheless who could reach that point in a small group.
Eulálio stayed in pink, Vingegaard still close
There were no major changes in the overall classification among the contenders for the top. Afonso Eulálio kept the lead with a total time of 39:40:34, while Jonas Vingegaard of Visma-Lease a Bike is second, 27 seconds behind, according to the standings published by BBC Sport after stage 11. Thymen Arensman of Netcompany Ineos Cycling is third, 1:57 minutes behind, and Felix Gall of Decathlon-CMA CGM is fourth at 2:24. Such an order shows that the stage toward Chiavari, although demanding and suitable for a breakaway, was for the main favourites above all a day of control and avoiding unnecessary risk.
Eulálio is one of the biggest surprises of this year’s Giro. Cyclingnews reported before stage 11 that the Portuguese rider kept the pink jersey after the stage 10 time trial in Massa, although in that section he lost time compared with Vingegaard. A lead of 27 seconds is not large, but it is enough to bring him another day in the race’s most recognisable jersey. For Bahrain Victorious, this means the obligation of daily control, but also the possibility for the team to remain at the centre of the race story longer than expected before the start.
Vingegaard, according to the same data, remained only 27 seconds from the lead, and therefore every following stage is important for the development of the fight for overall victory. The Danish rider entered the race as one of the main favourites for the final triumph in Rome, and BBC Sport recalls that this year’s Giro ends on 31 May. A calm stage for the favourites does not mean that the fight has settled down, but that the teams judged the terrain of stage 11 was not the right place to open larger gaps among the general classification contenders. That leaves tension for the coming days, especially for the mountain and hilly sections in which Eulálio’s advantage will have to be defended more actively.
The route rewarded the breakaway, but punished inattention
The 195-kilometre stage had a profile that often produces a two-layer race: a battle for the stage victory from the breakaway and a controlled ride by the favourites in the main group. The organiser’s official profile especially emphasised the difficulty of the second part, and ProCyclingStats records almost 2939 metres of elevation gain and the winner’s average speed of 42.745 kilometres per hour. These data show that the stage was not slow or waiting, but tactically open and physically demanding. The breakaway did not form immediately, which further increased the expenditure of riders who were trying to enter the right group.
The crash on the final categorised climb also showed the other side of such stages. On roads that alternate between short climbs, bends, descents and urban sections, positioning often becomes just as important as strength. According to ProCyclingStats’ report, it was precisely that incident that removed several riders from the battle for the stage result, and after that Mas and Narváez used the moment for the decisive separation. In a finale with small gaps, such details often decide who enters the final few kilometres with a real chance, and who remains behind without the possibility of coming back.
Chiavari welcomed a finish in which a tactical race, a selective route and individual quality came together. The flat final kilometre may have looked simple only on paper, because reaching it required a series of efforts and changes of rhythm. In that context, Narváez was the most complete rider of the day: strong enough to follow Mas on the climb, stable enough to survive the final descent and fast enough to finish the job in a two-man sprint.
The race continues toward Novi Ligure
After stage 11, the Giro d’Italia 2026 continues with stage 12 from Imperia to Novi Ligure. According to BBC Sport, it is a 175-kilometre section with a rolling profile, which means that escapees could again come to the fore, but also teams seeking a more controlled outcome. For Eulálio, every day in the pink jersey will be an additional test, because his small advantage over Vingegaard allows no relaxation. For Narváez and UAE Team Emirates-XRG, meanwhile, the third stage victory confirms that they are already one of the key stories of the first part of the race.
In sporting terms, the stage toward Chiavari did not change the top of the overall classification, but it further shaped the narrative of the race. Narváez strengthened his status as the most successful stage hunter in the Giro so far, Mas showed that he can attack and create a selection, and Eulálio survived another day in a jersey that is increasingly becoming a symbol of his unexpected battle with the biggest names in the race. If the previous stages opened the question of how long the Portuguese rider can stay at the top, stage 11 did not give a final answer, but it confirmed that the fight for the pink jersey continues under increasing pressure.
Sources:
- Giro d’Italia – official profile of stage 11 Porcari (Paper District) – Chiavari and route description (link)
- ProCyclingStats – results, stage data and description of key events of stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia 2026 (link)
- BBC Sport – report on Jhonatan Narváez’s victory, stage results and overall classification after stage 11 (link)
- Cyclingnews – context of Eulálio’s defence of the pink jersey after the stage 10 time trial (link)