If Stage 1 in Lido di Camaiore is all about tradition, Stage 2 of Tirreno Adriatico 2026 – Camaiore to San Gimignano, 206 km – brings a major novelty that fans are guaranteed to love: gravel roads. With memories of Strade Bianche still fresh, fireworks are guaranteed.

The start is in Camaiore, a town that has hosted countless Tirreno Adriatico and Giro d’Italia starts and finishes, and for 65 years (1949–2014) was home to one of Italy’s great one-day races, the GP di Camaiore. Its territory stretches from the sea to rolling hills and up toward the Apuan Alps. The medieval historic centre developed along the Via Francigena, shaping Camaiore’s role as a crossroads for centuries.

The route heads toward Pisa and the Livorno area, leaves the coast near Cecina, then turns inland toward Pomarance. Riders face the climb of Castelnuovo Val di Cecina (9.7 km at 3.3%), followed by constant rollers leading into the gravel sector just outside San Gimignano: 5.3 km of sterrato, mostly uphill, with double-digit gradients in places, ending right on the doorstep of the finish. From there, one final kick: 1.3 km at 7% up into the stunning medieval centre.

San Gimignano is one of Tuscany’s most iconic towns, instantly recognisable thanks to its medieval towers dominating the Val d’Elsa. Built along the Via Francigena, it flourished between the 12th and 13th centuries, when noble families competed to raise towers as symbols of power and prestige. Despite later economic decline, the town has preserved its medieval layout almost intact, making it a global reference point for historic preservation as well as one of the region’s most visited destinations.