The former Italian National Team coach stars in a series of video route recons for the 49th edition of the euro-regional stage race, scheduled from April 20th to 24th. The first episode – focusing on the opening stage starting and finishing in Innsbruck – will be released on Thursday, January 15th
Throughout his racing career, Daniele Bennati was never considered a pure climber. Yet exactly twenty years ago, in 2006, he claimed a stage victory at the Giro del Trentino – the race from which the Tour of the Alps inherited its legacy. The former sprinter from Arezzo won in Arco, a host venue of the 49th edition of the euro-regional event (April 20th–24th) and home to Sport Alto Garda, one of the event’s institutional partners. In the years that followed, Bennati went on to raise his arms in victory at all three Grand Tours, including the iconic Champs-Élysées finish in Paris.
Daniele Bennati brings a remarkable depth of experience to the world of cycling. First as a world-class sprinter, then as a trusted team rider, and later as Head Coach of the Italian National Team from 2021 to 2024, his career path allows him to read and interpret even the most unpredictable races. A profile that naturally fits the Tour of the Alps, where Bennati now serves as ambassador.
Bennati is the protagonist of a five-episode video series dedicated to the 2026 Tour of the Alps route. The first episode, available from today – Thursday, January 15th – focuses on the Tirolean opening stage (Innsbruck–Innsbruck, 141.8 km).
The videos will be released weekly on the official Tour of the Alps YouTube channel, with subtitles in Italian, English and German, and will also be shared across Instagram,Facebook, X and on the official website, tourofthealps.eu.
From the recon of the opening stage in Innsbruck to the final showdown in Bozen/Bolzano, Bennati will guide fans and industry insiders through a course that fully reflects the Tour of the Alps’ DNA: short stages, demanding elevation profiles and minimal transfers. The route crosses Tirol, Südtirol/Alto Adige and Trentino, touching the three regional capitals of Innsbruck, Bozen/Bolzano and Trento. Designed to keep the general classification open until the very last day, the course underlines the significance of an edition that marks the tenth anniversary of the euro-regional project.
“The Tour of the Alps route promises to be truly exciting,” commented Daniele Bennati. “It fully respects the race’s tradition: stages that are not overly long, yet often extremely demanding. From a general classification perspective, I believe the key moments will be the summit finish in Martell/Val Martello and the final stage – short but brutal – featuring the double ascent of Nobls/Montoppio before the descent into Bozen/Bolzano.”
“The opening stage will be the least complex on paper, but at the same time it will be spectacular and full of meaning. In 2018, Innsbruck hosted Alejandro Valverde’s UCI Road World Championship victory, while the finish in Trento at the end of stage four will bring back memories of Sonny Colbrelli’s triumph at the 2021 European Road Championships. Stage three, finishing in Arco, also looks very demanding, even if the major climbs come some distance from the finish.”
“This edition is shaping up to be of the highest level. The peloton will feature top riders, many of whom we will later see among the protagonists at the Giro d’Italia. That is why I am truly happy and proud to serve as ambassador for this event,” Bennati concluded.
Arco (Italy), January 15th, 2026
